A

tr/f /

S\

/

/

\

Looking- up James Chattin, the careful
Isaiah Thomas informs us that Chattin
was a Philadelphia printer in 1752, and
that his “Printing House was in Church
Alley, next to the Pipes." Chattin
does not seem to have been successful,
for in 1755 he offers his books at reduced
prices. Of course, /the great authority
on early American iirimers is Mr. Paul
Leicester Ford, whose work on this in¬
teresting subject was fully noticed in
The New York Times of Dec. 14, 1897,
This “ Royal Primer " just described
‘ has always been in the possession of a
family in Brooklyn, who trace their lin¬
eage direct from the small boy who once
| owned the book, and that accounts for
j its perfect condition.

THE

w

■A. FVJ,

* \ ^ ' A

UTOPIA

Containing a learned and pleafant Dif-

»

courfe of the Heft- "State of a TiiB-
lick Weal , as it is found in the new
Ifland called Utopia,

Written by the Right Honourable Sir Thomas
Moore, Lord Chancellor of England.

LONDON: Printed,

PHILADELPHIA: Reprinted and Sold
by James Ch a t t z x, in Chunk- Alley. 1755,

The Common-Wealth of Utopia.

BOOK I.

HE moll vi£lorious King of England, , Hen¬
ry the Eighth of that Name, in all royal
Virtues a Prince mod peerlel's, had of late in
Gontroverfy with Charles, the right high
and mighty King of Gaflile^ weighty Matters, and of
great Importance , for the Debatement and final Deter¬
mination whereof, the King’s Majefty lent me Ambafla-
fadorinto Flanders , joined in Commiffion w ith Cuthbert
Tunstall, a Man doubtlefs out of Comparifon, and
whom the King’s Majefty of late, to the great Rejoicing
of ail Men, did prefer to the Office of Mailer of the R oils.

But of this Man’s Praifes I will fay nothing, not becaufe
I do fear that fmall Credence fhall be given to the Tefti-
rnony that cometh out of a Friend’s Mouth ; but bccaule
his Virtue and Learning be greater, and of more Excel¬
lency, than that I am able to praile them ; and alfo in
all Places fo famous and fo perfectly well known, that
they need not, nor ought not of me to be praifed, unlefs
I would feem to fhew and let forth the Brightnefs of the
Sun with a Candle, as the Proverb faith. There met us
at Bruges (for thus it was before agreed) they whom
their Prince had for that Matter appointed Coinmillioners :
Excellent Men all The Chief and Head of them was the
Margrave (as they call him) ol Bruges , a right honour¬
able Man 3 but the wifell and belt fpoken of them wa*
George Temsie, Provoft of Cajjeljee^ a Man, not only
by Learning, but alfo by Nature of lingular Eloquence,

A z and

2 fbe Common- W eaitb

and in the Laws profoundly learned ; but in realoning
and debating of Matters, what by his natural Wit, and
what by daily Exercife, lurely he had few Fellows. Af¬
ter that we had once or twice met, and upon certain
Points or Aiticles could not fully and throughly agree,
they for a certain Space took their Leave of us, and de¬
parted to Brujfelsj there to know their Prince’s Pleafure.
I in the mean Time (for fo my Eulinels lay) went
freight thence to Antwerp. While I was there abiding,
oftentimes among other, but which to me was more
welcome than any others, did viiit me one Peter Giles,
A Citizen ol Antwerp , a Man there in his Country of ho¬
ned Reputation, and all'o preferred to high Promotions,
worthy truly ol the higheft. For it is hard to fay, whether
the young Man be in Learning or in Honefty more ex¬
cellent. For he is both of wonderful virtuous Conditi¬
ons, and all'o lingularly well learned, and towards all
Sorts of People exceeding genteel : But towards his
Friends fo kind-hearted, l'o loving, fo faithful, fo truf-
ty, and of fo earned Alfection, that it w’ere very hard
in any Place to find a Man, that with him in all Points
of Friendlhip may be compared, nor can be more low¬
ly or courteous ; no Man ufeth lefs Simulation or DilTi-
mulation ; in no Man is more prudent Simplicity ; be¬
sides this, he is in his Talk and Communication fo mer¬
ry and pleafant, yea, and that without Harm, that thro’
his genteel Entertainment, and his fweet and deleftabls
Communication, in me was greatly abated and diminilh-
ed the fervent Defire that I had to fee my native Coun¬
try, my Wife and my Children, whom then I did much
long and coven to fee ; becaufe that at that Time I had
been more than four Months from them. Upon a cer¬
tain Day, when I had heard the Divine Service in our
Lady’s Church, which is the faireft, the molt gorgious
and curious Church or Building in ail the City, and alfo
molt frequented of People, and the Service being done,
was ready to go home to my Lodging, 1 chanced to fpy
this iorefaid Peter talking with a Captain Stranger, a
Man well llricken in Agc^ with a black Sun-burned

Face,

ef V T O P I A. $

Face, a long Beard, and a Cloak call homely about hi*
Shoulders, whom by his Appearance and Apparel forth¬
with I judged to be a Marriner. But the laid Peter
feeing me, came unto me and faUuted me. And as f
was about to ani'wer him, See you this Man, faith he
(and therewith he pointed to the Man that I faw him
talking with before) I was minded, quoth he, to bring
him ftreight home to you. He fhould have been very
welcome to me, faid I, for your fake. Nay, quoth he,
for his own fake, if you knew him : For there is no
Man this Day living, that can tell you of fo many llrange
and unknown Peoples and Countries, as this Man can ;
and I know well that you ate very defirous of hearing
fueh News. Then I conjectured not far amifs, quoth I,
for even at the frrft Sight, 1 judged him to be a Marriner.
Nay, quoth he, there you were greatly deceived : He
hath failed indeed, not as the Marriner Palinure , but as
the expert and prudent Prince Ulgjfes : Yea, rather as the
ancient andfage Philofopher Plato. For this fame Ra¬
phael Hythioday (lor this is his Name) he is very
well learned in the Latin Tongue ; but profound and
excellent in the Greek Language. Wherein he ever be¬
llowed more Study than in the Latin, becaufe he had gi¬
ven hirnfelf wholly to the Study of Philofophy. Where¬
of he knew there is nothing certain in that is to

any Purpofe, laving a few ol Seneca’s and Cicero’s Doings.
His Patrimony that he was born unto, he left to his Bre¬
thren (for he is a Portuguefe born) and for the Delire he
had to fee and know the far Countries of the World, he
joined hirnfelf in Company with Americas Vcfpntius ; and
in the three laft Voyages of thole four that are in Print,
and abroad in every Man’s PJands, he continued ftiil in
hi* Company, laving that in the laft Voyage he came not
home again with him. For he made fuch Means and
Shift, what by Intreaty, and what by importunate Suit,
that he got Licence of Mailer Americas (tho’ it w'as fore
again!! his Will) to be one of the Twenty-four, which
in the End of the laft Voyage were left at Nevo-Cafhk.
He was therefore left behind for his Mind like, as on*

that

4 tfhe Common-W eath

»

that took more Thought and Care for travelling, than
dying, having cuftomarily in his Mouth thefe Sayings *

He that berth no Grave is covered with the Sky , and, The Way
to Heaven , out of all Places , is of like Length and Dijlance.
Which Opinion of his (if God had not been his better
Friend) he had furely bought full dear. But after the
Departure of Mailer Vefputius , when he had travelled thro*
and about many Countries with five of his Companions
Cafilians , at the laid by marvellous Chance he arrived in 0
ffaprobane , from whence he went to Calicut , where he
chanced to find certain of his own Country Ships, where-
in he returned again into his Country, nothing lefsthan
looked tor. All this wrhen Peter had told me, 1 thanked
him for his genteel Kindnefs ; that he had vouchfafed to
bring me to tne Speech of that Man, wrhofe Communicati¬
on he thought would be to me plcafant and acceptable.
And therewith I turned me to Raphael : And when w^e
had embraced each other, and had fpoke thofe commune
Words that are cuftomarily fpoke at the firft Meeting and
Acquaintance of Strangers, we wnnt thence to my Houfe,
and there in my Garden, upon a Bench covered with
green Turfs, we fat down talking together. There he
told us, how that after the departing of Vefputius^ he and
his Fedows, that tarried behind in New Cafnle , began
by little and little, thro5 fair and gentle Speech, to w in
the Love and Favour of the People of that Country • in-
fomuch, that within fhort Space they did dw'ell among
them, not only harmlefs, but alfo occupying with them *
familiarly. He told us alio that they were in high Re¬
putation and Favour with a certain great Man (whofe
Name and Country is now quite out of my Remem¬
brance) which ol his meer Liberality, did bear the
Colls and Charges of him and his five Companions.
And bciidcs that, gave them a trufiy Guide to condufl
them in their journey (which by Water w'as in Boats,
and by Land in Waggons) and to bring them to other
Princes w ith very friendly Commendations.

Thus a her many Days J ournies, he faid, they found
Towns, and Cities, and Weal-Publicks, full of People,

governed

tf U T O P I A. I

governed by good and wholfom Laws ; for under the
Line Equinoctial, and on both Sides of the fame, as far as
the Sun doth extend his Courfe, lieth (-yinth h~) great
and wide Defarts, and Wilderneffes, parched, burned,
and dried up with continual and intollerable heat. All
Thingsdns’hideous, terrible, loathfome, and unpleafant
to behold ; ^Vd—Thi nge out of Fafhion and Comelinefs,
inhabited with wild Beads, and Serpents • or at the lead-
<wife-^with People, that be no lefs favage, wild, and noi-
fome, than the very Bealls themfelves But a little
farther, beyond tkitjfall Things begin by little and little
fto wax-pleafant, thf Air loft, temperate, and gentle -
the Ground covered Virh green Grafs j lefs Wildnefs in
the Beads. -Ae-thc "kftdhall come to People, Cities and
Towns, wheiein is continual Entercourfeand Occupying
of Merchandize and Chaffair, not only among themfelves’
and with their Borderers ; but alfo w ith Merchants of
far Countries, both by Land and Water. There I had
Occafion (fudilft) to go to many Countries on every
Side. For there was no Ship ready to any Voyage or
Journey, but I and my Fellows were into it very Madly
received. The Ships that they found fird, were made
plain, flat, and broad in the Bottom, trough- w ife. The
Sails w'ere made of great Rallies, or of Wickers, and
in fome Places ofLeather. Afteiward they found Shirs
with ridged Reals, and Sails of Canvafs s yea, and
lhortly after, having all Things like ours. The Ship-
men alfo were expert and cunning, both in the Sea and
in the Weather. But he faid, that he found great Favour
and Friendship among them, for teaching them the Feat
and Ufe of the Load-done, w'hich to them before that
Time was unknown ; and therefore thev were wont
to be very timerous on the Sea, and not to' venture upon
it but in the Summer Time. But now they have
iuch a Confidence in that Stone, that thev fear not dormy
VV inter (in fo doing, farther from Care than Dansrerf in-
lomuch, that it is greatly to be doubted, lead that Thine
through their own fooliih Hardinefs, ihall turn them to
Lvd and Harm, which at die fird was fuppofed ihould

be

6 fM COMMOK-W EAt fR

be to them good and commodious. But what he told
us that he law in every Country where he came, it is
very long to declare ; neither is it my Purpofe at this
Time to make Rehear! a 1 thereof. But (peradventure
in another Place will I fpeak of if) chiefly fuch Things
as (hall be profitable to be known, as in fpecial be thole
Decrees and Ordinances that he marked to be well and
wittily provided and ena&ed among fuch People as do
live together in a Civil Policy and good Order. For
of fuch'Things did we bulily enquire, and demand of
him, and he likewife very willingly told us of the fame.
But as for Monfters, becaufe they were no News, of
them we were not inquilitive : For nothing is more ea-
fy to be found than be barking Dogs, ravening Wolves
and cruel Man-eaters, and fuen like great and incredible
Monlters. But to find Citizens ruled by good and
v/holiom Laws, that is an exceeding rare and hard
Thing. But as he marked many fond and foolilh Laws,
in thofe new-found Lands ; fo he rehearfed divers AQa
and Confticutions whereby thefe onr Cities, Nations,
Countries and Kingdoms may take Example to amend
their Faults, Enormities and Errors. Whereof in ano¬
ther Place, as I faid, I will treat. Now at this Time
I am determined to rehearle only what he told us of the
Manners, Cuftoms, Laws and Ordinances ofifthe Utopi¬
ans. But firft I will refpect our former Communication
by the Occafion, and, as I might lay, the Drift wRieof
he was brought into the mention ol the Pubiick Weal :
For when Raphael had very prudently touched diver*
Things that be atnifs, fome here, and lome there ; yea,
very many on both Parts, and again had fpoken ol luch
wile Laws and prudent Decrees, as be eltabhlhed and
ufed, both here among us, and alfo among them, as a
Man fo perfect and expert in the Laws and Cuftoms ol
every feveral Country, as though into what Place er
he came Gueft-wife, there he had led all his Life : I hen
Peter , much marvelling at the Man, Surely Mafter Ra¬
phael , quoth he, I wonder greatly why you get you not

into fome King’s Court : For l am lure there is no

Prince

of UTOPIA. 7

Prince living that would not be glad of you, as a Man
not only able highly to delight him with your profound
Learning, and this your Knowledge of Countries, and
Peoples, but alfo meet to inftrufct him with Examples,
and help him with Counfel. And thus doing, you fhall
bring yourfelf in a very good Cale, and alfo be ot Ability
to help all your Friends and Kinsfolk. As concerning
my Friends and Kinsfolk (quoth he) I pafs not greatly
for them : For I think I have fufficiently done my Parc
towards them already. For thefe Things, that other
Men do not depart fr om, until they be old and fick ; yea,
which they be then very loath to leave, when they can
no longer keep, thofe very lame Things did I, being not
only lulty, and in good Health, but alfo in the Flower
of my Youth, divide among my Friends and Kinsfolk.
Which I think with this my Liberality ought to hold
them contented, and not to require nor to look that
befides this, I fhould for their fakesgivemyfelf in Pondage
unto Kings. Nay, God forbid that (quoth Peter ) it is
not my Mind that you Ihould be in Bondage. to Kings,
but as a Retainer to them at your Pleafure'. Which
furely I think is the nigheft W ay that you can devife how
to bellow your Time fruitfully, not only for the private
Commodity of your Friends, and for the general Profit
of all Sorts of People, but alfo for the Advancement of
your felf to a much wealthier State and Condition than
you be now in. To a wealthier Condition (quoth Ra¬
phael )by that Means, thatmyMindflandeth clean againlt.
Now I live at Liberty after mine own Mind and Pleafure,
which I think very few of thefe great States, and Peers of
Realms can fay. Y ea, and there be enough of them that
fue for great Means and Friendlhip : and therefore think it
no greatHurt, if they have not me, tfor Third or Fourth
fuch other as I am. Well, I perceive plainly, Friend
Raphael (quoth I) that you be delirous neither of Riches,
nor of Power. And truly I have in no lefs Reverence and
Eftimation a Man of your Mind, than any of them all that
be fo high in Power and Authority : But you fhall do as
it becometh you j yea, and according to this Wifdom,

B to

8 The C O M M O N - w E A L T H

to this high and tre 3 Courage of yours, if you can find in
youi Heart, lo to f ''point and difpofe yourfelfl that you
,aPP y y°ur V* it and Diligence to the Profit of the
V\ eal 1 uoliclc, though it be fome what to your own Pain

aU- l /-tn irance‘ t'1^3 y°u never fo well do nor

with fo great Profit perform, as if you be of fome great

rnnces Counfel, and put into his Head (as I doubt not
but you will) honed: Opinions, and virtuous Perfwaiions :
For from the Prince, as from a perpetual YYell-fpring
comech among the People the Flood of all that is Good or
Fvrl. But in you is foperrett Learning, that without any
.Experience, and again, fo great Experience, that with¬
out any Learning, you may well be any King’s Coun¬
sellor. You are twice deceived, Mailer Moore (quoth
he) firil in me, and again in the Thing itfelf; For
neither is in me the Ability that you force upon me, and
if it were never fo much, yet in difquieting mine own
Quietnels I ihould nothing further the Weal Publick. For
firlt of all the molt Part of all Princes have more Delight
in warlike Matters, and Feats of Chivalry) the Knowledge
whereof I neither have nor defire) than in the good Feats
of Peace.: an^ imploy much more Study, how by Right
or by YV rong to enlarge their Dominions than how well
and peaceable to rule, and govern that they have already.
Moreover, they tnat be Counsellors to Kings, everyone
of them eitner is of himfelf io wiie indeed that he needeth
or che he thinketh himfelf fo wife that he will not allow
another Man’s Counfel, faving that they do ibamefully,
and flatteringly, give afient to fond and foolilh Sayings of
certain great Men ; whole Favours, becaufe they be in
high Authority with their Prince, by Affentation and
Mattery they labour to obtain. And verily it is naturally
given to all Men to elleem their own Inventions belt : So
both the Raven and the Ape think their own young Ones
fai reft. Then if a Man in fuch a Company, where fome
difdain and have Delpite at other Men’s Inventions,
and fome count their own heft ; if among fuch Men (I
fay) a Man lhould bring fourth any Thing, that he bath
read done in Times pall, or that he hath feen done in

other

of V T O P I A. 9

other Places ; there the Hearers, fare as tho’ the whole
Exiftimation of their Wifdom were in Jeopardy to be
overthrown, and that ever after they fhould be counted
for ever Defarts, unlefs they could in other Mens Inven¬
tions pick out Matter to reprehend, and find a Fault at.
It ail other poor Helps tail, then this is their extream
Refuge. Thefe Things (fay they) pieafed our Fore¬
fathers and Anceflors; would God we could be fo wife
as they were; and as though they had wittily conclud¬
ed the Matter, and with this Anfwer Hopped every
Man’s Mouth they fit down again. As, who fhould fay,
it were a very dangerous Matter, if a Man in any Point
mould be found wifer than his Fore-fathers were? And
yet be we content to fuffer the bell and wittieft of their
Decrees to lie unexecuted : But if in any Thing a better
Order might have been taken, than by them w'as, there
we take fait hold, finding there many Faults. Many
Times have I chanced upon fuch proud, lewd, over¬
thwart, and way-ward Judgments ; yea, and once in
England : I pray you Sir (quoth I) have you been in our
Country ; Yea forfooth (quoth he) and there I tarried
lor the Space of four or five Months together, not Ion?
after the Ipfurrefikion the Weftern EngHjh Men made.

which by their own miferable and
sinful Slaughter, was fupprefied and ended. In the
nean Seafon, I was much bound and beholden to the
right reverend Father, John Morton, Arch-bifhop
md Cardinal of Canterbury , and at that Time alfo Lord
chancellor of England-, a Man, Mailer Peter (for Mailer
jCu, e knovveth already that 1 will fay) not more honour-
iDie tor his Authority, than for his Prudence and Virtue.

-le was of a mean Stature, and though llricken in Aee
-et bore he his Body upright. 3

In his Face did ilu’ne iuch an amiable Reverence as
las pleaiant to behold. Gentle in Communication
'et earned: and fage. He had great Delight manv
imes w ith rough Speech to his Suiters, to prove, but
without Harm, what prompt Wit, and what bold
pmt were m every Man. In the which as in Virtue

^ 3 much

IO

fit C O M M O N - W E A t T H

much agreeing with his Nature, fo that therewith were
not joined Impudency, he took great Delegation. And
the lame Perlon as apt and meet to have an Adminiftra-
tion in the Weal Publick, he did lovingly embrace. In
his Speech he was fine, eloquent and pithy j in the Law
he had profound Knowledge ; in Wit he was incompar¬
able, and in Memory, wonderful excellent. Thefe Qua¬
lities, which in him were by Nature lingular, he by
Learning and Ufe had made perfect. The King put much
Trull in his Counfel, the Weal Publick alfo in a man¬
ner leaned unto him, when I was there : For even in
the Chief ol his Y outh he was taken from School into
the Court, and there palfed all his Time in much Trouble
andBuiinefe, being continually tumbled and tolled in the
Waves of divers Misfortunes and Adverfities. And fo
by many and great Dangers, he learned the Experience
ol the World, which fo being learned, cannot ealily be
forgotten. It chanced on a certain Day, when I fat at
his Table, there was alfo, a certain Layman, cunning in
the Laws of your Realm ; Who I cannot tell, whereof
taking Occafion, began diligently and earneftly to praife
that ftrait and rigorous jullice, which at that Time was,
there executed upon Felons ; who as he faid, were for
the molt Part Twenty hanged together upon one Gallows.
And, feeing fo tew efcaped Punifhment, he faid he
could notchoofe, but greatly wonder aud marvel, how*
and by what evil Luck it Ihould fo come to pafs, that
Thieves neverthelefs were in every Place fo rife and fo
rank. Nay, quoth I (for Idurft boldly lpeak my Mind, be¬
fore the Cardinal) marvel nothing hereat, for this Punifh¬
ment of Thieves pafleth the Limits of Juftice, and is alfo
very hurtful to the Weal Publick: For it is too extream
and cruel a Punifhment for Theft, and yet not fufficient
to refrain and with-hold Men from Theft: for iimple
Theft is not fo great an Offence, that it ought to be puni-
fhed with Death • neither is there any Punifhment fo
horrible, that it can keep them from Healing, which have
none other Graft whereby to get their Living, There¬
fore in this Point, not you only, but alfo the molt Part
V ' < - - • ' '• ‘ ' of

of UTOPIA, II

of the World be like evil Schoolmafters, which be readier
to beat, than to teach their Scholars. For great and
horrible Punifhments be appointed for Thieves, where¬
as much rather, Provifton Ihould have been made, that
there were fome Means, whereby they might get their
Living, fo that no Man Ihould be driven to this
excream Necelfity ; firft to fteal, and then to die. Yes
(quoth he) this Mater is well enough provided for
already. There be Handicrafts, there is Husbandry
to get their Living, if they would not willingly be
naught. Nay, quoth I, you lhall not fcape fo ; for firft
of all, I will’ l'peak nothing of them, that come Home
out of the Wars maimed and lame, as not long ago out
of Black-heath Field, and a little before that, out of the
Wars in France ; fuch \ fay as put their Lives in Jeopardy
for the Weal Publick’s, or the King’s fake, and by
Reafon of Weaknefs, and Lamenefs are not able to oc¬
cupy their old Crafts, and be too aged to learn new.;
of them I will fay nothing, forafmuch as Wars have their
ordinary Recourle.

But let us confider thofe Things that chance daily be¬
fore our Eyes. Firft, there is a great Number of Gen¬
tlemen, who cannot be content to live idle themfelves,
like Dornrs of what others have laboured for, their Te¬

nants I mean, whom they poll and (have to the Quick,
by railing their Rents [for this only Point of Frugality
do they ufe, Men elfe thro’ their prodigal Spending able
to bring themfelves to very Beggary] thefe Gentlemen,
I fay, do not only live in Idlenefs themfelves, but alfo
carry about with them at their Tails, a great Train of
idle and loitering Servingmen, who never learned any
Craft whereby to get their Livings. Thefe Men, fo
foon as their Matter is dead, or are lick themfelves, be
incontinent thruft out of Doors : For Gentlemen had ra¬
ther keep idle Perfons than lick Men, and many Times
the dead Man’s Heir is not able to maintain fo great an
Houfe, and keep fo many ferving Men as his Father did.
Then, in the mean Seafon, they that be thus deftitute of
Service, either ttarve for Hunser, or manfully play the

thief.

o'm mon-Wealth

Thie£ And what would you have them do, when they
ave wandered abroad fo long, until they have worn
^read-bare their Apparel, and aifo appaired their Health ?
Then Gentlemen, becaufe of their pale and lickly Faces
and patched Coats, will not take them into Service • and
Husbandmen dare not fet them to work, knowing well
enough, that he is not fit to do true and faithful Service
to a poor Man with a Spade and a Mattock for final!
Wages and hard Fare, who being daintily and tenderly
pampered up in Idlenels and Pleafure, was wont with a
Sword and a Buckler J)y his Side, to jet thro5 the Streets
With a bragging Look, and to think himfelf too good to
be any Man’s xMate. Nay, by St. Mary , Sir (quoth the
Lawyer) not fo : For this Kind of Men muft w'e make
mod of; for in them, as Men of ftouter Stomachs, bold-,
cr Spirits, and manlier Courages than Handicrafts-men
and Plough-men be, confifts the whole Power, Strength
and Puifiance of our Army, when we muft fight in Bat-
tie. Forfooth Sir, you might as well fay (quoth I) that
K»r \\ ar s fake you muft cherifh Thieves : For furely you
Lali no * er lack them whilft you have W ars ; and Thieves
are not the moft falfe and faint-hearted Soldiers, nor Sol-
oieis are not the moft cowardly Thieves ; fo well thefe
two Crafts agree together. But this Fault, tho5 it is in
much Ufe among you, yet it is not peculiar to you only,
but common alfo almoft to all Nations. Yet France , be-
fkies- this, is troubled and infected with a much forer
Plague. The whole Realm is filled and befieged with
hired Soldiers in Time of Peace (if that be Peace) which
are brought in under the fame Colour and Pretence
foat hath perfwaded you to keep thefe idle Serving-
men. For thefe Wife-fools, and very Arch-dolts, tho’t
foe YY ealth of the whole Country herein to coniift, if
riiere was conftantly in Readinefs a ftrong and a fure
Garrifon, efpecially of old praftifed Soldiers ; for they
put no Truft at ail in Men unexercifed : And therefore
foey muft be forced to feck for War, to the End they
may ever have praftifed Soldiers, and cunning Men-
ilayersp Icail that (as it is prettily faid by Saluji ) their

Hands

—

Of v T O P I a;: 3|

Hands and their Minds, thro’ Idlenefs or Lack of Exer-
ciie, iLould wax dull.

But how pernicious and peftilent a Thing it is to
maintain luc'n Bealls, the Frenchmen , by their own Harms
have learned, and the Examples of the Romans , Cartbt
%'rtans, and of many other Countries, do rrnni-
feitly declare : For not only the Empire, but alfo the
fields and Cities ot all thefe, by divers Occafions, have

!* *? and deftro>’ed of chcir own Annies,

etorehand had in a Readinefs. Now, how unnecef-

i?ry f Jr!1.® tbls !s? hereby ic may appear, that the
French Soldiers, which from their Youth have been

practiled and inured in Feats of Arms, do not crack or

advance them! elves to have very often got the upper

Hand and Maftery of your new-made and unpractilhd

Soldiers But in this Point I will not ufe many Words

r?!rPrrChauC I- may leem t0 flatter vou- No, nor
thole lame Handicraft-men of yours in Cities, nor yet

the rude and uplandilh Plough-men of the Country, are

net luppofed to be greatly afraid of your Gentlemen’*

Reiving Men, unlefs it be fuch as be not of Body

or Stature correfpondent to their Strength and Courage -

vertv Th b°W StCTdlS be difc°uraged thro’ Po-’
verty. Thus you may fee, that it is not to be feared

M tney fhould be effeminated, if they were brought m *'

... good Crafts and labourfoml Works, »h«eb7,S

t tl. Livings, whofe dour and fturdv Bodies (forGcnrfe-

“ COTPtn"d fPvU1 n°ne b“‘ W'd

, , en , en) now eit!lcr by reafon ot Reft and Idlenefs
be brought to Weaknefs ; or elfe by too eafy and woman-

nefsXeTeSlbeii|aderfeeble’ andunabIe to endure Hard-
, , ^ howfoever the Cafe ftandeth, this me

WaPsfa’ 15 n°uhl,"g available to the Weal Publick, for

ronil ’ Wl?!ch y°U never have’ but H'hen you will

Dfthar ^S’ and maintain an innumerable Flock

n Pei?011 ? that be fo "oublefome and ndo£

Ire ReCdTh h aVe a tb<^and tiniS

4ecefTarvfcr d O f c f r Bur >’ et thi s is n°t on ly the
aeceliaiy Caufe of Stealing. There is another, which®

as

.

* -iff ™ ■"

ti We CbMJ>id N-W e A t rtt

as I fuppofe, is proper and peculiar to you TLngliJhmta
alone. What is that, quoth the Cardinal? Forfooth,
my Lord, quoth I, your Sheep, that were wont to be fo
meek and tame, and fo fmall Eaters, n ow, as I hear fay,
be become fo great Devourers, and lo wild, that they
cat up and {wallow down the very Men themfolves.
They confume, deftroy and devour whole Fields, Houfes,
and Cities : For look in what Parts of the Realm doth
grow thefineft, and therefore deareft Wool, there Noble¬
men and Gentlemen, yea, and certain Abbots, holy
Men, no doubt, not contenting themfelves with the
yearly Revenues and Profits that were wont to grow to
their Forefathers and Predcceflors of their Lands, nor
being content that they live in Reft and Pleafure, no¬
thing profiting, yea, much noying the Weal Pub lick,
leave no Ground for Tillage j they inclofe all into
Paftures, they throw down Houfes, they pluck down
Towns, and leave nothing Handing but only the Church
to be made a Sheep-Houfe. And as though you loft no
fmall Quantity of Ground by Forefts, Chafes, Lands,
and Parks, thofe good holy Men turn all Dwelling-
Places and Glebe-land into Defolauon and Wilder-

Therefore, that one covetous and unfatiable Cormo¬
rant, and very Plague of his native Country, may com-
pafs about and inclofe many thoufand Acres of Ground
together within one Pale or Hedge, the Husbandmen be
thruft out of their own, or elie either by Covin and
Fraud, or violent Opprelhon they be put befide it, or
by Wrongs and Injuries they be fo weaned, that they
be compelled to fell all ; by one Means, therefore, or
by other, either by Hook or by Crook, they muft needs
depart away, poor, iilly, wretched Souls, Men, Wo¬
men, Husbands, Wives, fatherlefs Children, Widows,
woful Mothers with their young Babes, and the whole
Houfhold, fmall in Subftance, and much in Number, as

Husbandry requireth many Hands.

Awav they trudge, I fay, out of their known and ac-

cuftomed Houfes, finding no Place to reft in All thei*

of UTOPIA, ts

HoufhoId-StufF, which is very litrle worth, tho’ it mighc
well abide the Sale: yet being fuddenly thruft out,
they be conftrained to fell it lor a Thing of nought!
And when they have wandered, abroad till that be fpenr,
what can they then do but Heal, and then jultly be
hanged, or elfe go about begging? And yet then alfo
they be call into Pnfon as Vagabonds, becaule they go
about and work not • whom no Man will let at W ork,
though they never fo willingly proffer themfelves theie-
to. For one Shepherd or Herdman is enough to ear up
that Giound with Cattle, to the Occupying whereof,
about Husbandry, many Hands wrere requTiite. And
this is* alfo the Caufe w'hy Pibfuals be now in many
Places dearer. Y ea, belides this, the Price of Wool is
fb men, that poor Folks, which were wont to work it,
and make Cloth thereof, be now able to buy none ac
ad. And by this Means very many be forced to forfake
\\ ork, and to give themfelves to Idlenefs.

For after that lo much Ground was ir.clofed for
Failure, an infinite Multitude of Sheep died of the Rot;
fuch \ engeance God took of their inordinate and unfa-
tiable Covetoufnefs, fending among the Sheep thatpefti-
lerous Murrain, which much more juftly Ihould have
fauen on the Sheep-mafters Heads. And tho’ the Num¬
ber of Sheep increafe never fo fall, yet the Price falleth
not one Mite;, becaufe there be fo few Sellers : For they
be aimoit all come into a few rich Mens Hands, whom
no Need forceth to fell before they lift, and they lift
not before they may fell as dear they lift. Now the fame
Gaule bnngeth in like Dearth of the ether Kinds of
v-itae, yea, and that fo much the more, becaule that
after Farms plucked down, and Husbandry decayed;

ere is no Man that careth for the Breeding cf young
'’tore: For thefe rich Men bring not. up the young Ones
H great Cattle as they do Lambs. A - m

But firft they buy them abroad very cheao, and after¬
ward when rhefbe fatted in their Failures, they fell them
i gain exceeding dear. And therefore, as I fuppofe, the
vhole Incommodity hereof is not yet felt : For yet thew

C . . -

make

1 6 The Common- We a i t it

make Dearth only in thofe Places where they fell. But
when they fhall letch them away from thence where they
be bred falter than they can be bought up, then fhall
t here alfo be felt great Dearth, Store beginning there to
fail, where the Ware is bought. Thus the unreafonable
Covetoufnefs of a Few hath turned the Thing to the
utter Undoing of your Land, in which Thing the chief
Felicity of your Realm did confift: For this great
Dearth of Victuals caufeth Men to keep as little Houfes,
and as fmall Hofpitality as they poilibly may, and to
put away their Servants : Whither, I pray you, but a
Begging, or elfe (which tliefe gentle Bloods and flout
Stomachs) will fooner fet their Minds unto Stealing?
Now, to amend the Matter, to this wretched Beggary
and miferable Poverty, is joined great Wantonnefs, im¬
portunate Superfluity, and excelfive Riot : For not only
Gentlemens Servants, but alfo Handicraft-men, yea, and
almoft the Plough-men of the Country, with all other
Sorts of People, ufe much ftrange and proud new Fan-
gles in their Apparel, and too much prodigal Riot, and
S umptuous Fare at their Tables.

N ow, Bawds, Queans, Whores, Harlots, Strumpets,
Brothel-Houfes, Stews; and yet other Stews, Wine-
Taverns, Ale-houfes, and Tipling-houfes, with fo many
naughty, lewd, and unlawful Games, as Dice, Cards,
Tables, Tennis, Bowls, Coits; do not all thefe fend
the Haunters of them Strait a Stealing, when their Money
is gone? Call out thel'e pernicious Abominations ; make
a Law, that they which plucked down F arms, and Towns
of Husbandry, Shall re-edify them, or elfe yield and
uprender the Polieihon thereof to Such as will go to the

Coft of building them a-new.

SulTer not thele rich Men to buy up all, to engiois and
ioreital, and with their Monopoly to keep the Market
alone as they pleafe. Let not So many be biought up in
Idleness; let Husbandry and Tillage be reftored ; let
Cloth-working be renewed, that there may be honeft
Labours for this idle Sort, to pals their Time in pro¬
fitably, which hitherto either Poverty hath caufed to be
• ' Thieves,

of UTOPIA. 17

Thieves, or elfc now be either Vagabonds, or idle Ser¬
ving-men, and fhortly will be Thieves. Doubtlefs, un-
lefs you find a Remedy for thefe Enormities, you fhall
in vain advance yourfelves of executing Juftice upon
Felons: For this fuftice is more beautiful in Appear¬
ance, and more flourifhing to the Shew, than either juft
or profitable : For you fuffer your Youth wantonly
and vicioufly to be brought up, and to be intefted,
even from their tender Age, by little and little with
Vice, and after being come to Man’s State you puniih
them for committing the fame Faults which from their
Youth they were ever ufed to. In this Point, I pray
you, wrhat other Thing do you, than make Thieves, and
then puniih them? Now, as I was thus (peaking, the
Lawyer began to make himfelf ready to anfwer, and was
determined with himfelf to ufe the common Faihion,
and Trade of Difputers, which be more diligent in re-
hearfing than anfwering, as thinking the Memory worthy
ct the chief Praife. Indeed, Sir (quoth he) you have
faid weil, being but a ftranger, and one that might
rather hear fomething of thefe Matters, than have any
exa ft or perfeft Knowledge of the lame, as I will incon¬
tinently by open Proof make manifefi: and plain. For
firft I will rehearfe in Order all that you have faid : then
I will declare wherein you be deceived, through Lack
of Knowledge, in all our Fafhions, Manners, and
Cuftoms ; and laftly of all, I will anfwer your Arguments,
and confute them every one. Firft, therefore, I will
begin where I promifed : Four Things, you feemed to
me. — Hold your Peace, quoth the Cardinal ; for it ap¬
peared! that you will make no Abort Anfwer, which make
Inch a Beginning : Wherefore, at this Time, you (hail
not take the Pains to make your Anfwer, but keep it to
your next Meeting, which I would be right glad,
tnat it might be To-morrow, unlefs either you or
Mr. Raphael have earned: Let. But now, Mr. Raphael ,

I would very gladly hear of you, why you think Theft
not worthy to be puniihed with Death, or what Puniih-
ment you can devife more expedient to the Weal Pub-

1 5 % he C o m m o n - VV- e a h t a

1 c'k 5 * a!U ^ure Aac you are not of that Mind, that

VOU would have Theft efcape unpuniihed. For if now
extj earn Punilhment of Death cannot caufe them to
leave Stealing, • then if Ruffians and Robbers fhould be
lurf o!: their Lives, what Violence, what Fear, were able
• ,tne.lr Kands horn Robbing, which would take
r.ne mitigation of the Punilhment, as a very Provocation
“ *? WifeWf Surely, my Lord, ! chink it not rfeta
i:Oj Ju.tice, that the Lois of Money fhould caufe the
Lois of Man’s Life: For mine Opinion is, that all the

Loom in the \\ orld are not able to countervail Man's
Life.

But if they would thus fay, that the Breaking of
ju.tiu,. and me 1 1 anlgreir.on of Laws is reccmpenced
with this Punilhment, and not the Lois of Money, then
why may not this extream and rigourous juilice well be
called plain Injury? For fo cruel Governance, fo ft r ait
Rules, and unmerciful Laws be not allowable, that if a
.tiirfdi Onence be committed, by and. by the Sword Ihould
be drawn : Nor lo ftoical Ordinances are to be borne
withal, as to count all Offences of fuch Equality, that
live Killing of a Man, or the Taking of his Money from
Jimi, wcie both a Matter, and the one no more heinous
( /hence than tne otkei : Between the whichTwo, if we
have any Refpeft to Equity, no Similitude or Equality
conlifterh. God cpmmandeth us that we Ihould net kill :

. \ha be we men lo haliy to kill a Man for taking a little
Money? And if a Man would underitand Killing by
mis Commandment of God, to be forbidden after no
larger wife than Man’s Conftkutions define Killing to be
lawful J then why may it not likewife by Man’s Confli-
tuur'iis Or. dctei mined aitcr what Manner Whoredom,
Lon neat ion and Perjury may be lawful? For whereas,
by the Penn; i lion of God, no Man hath Power neither
to kill himfelf nor yet any other Man ; then, if a Law
lu.Vtc by t*tC Con lent of Men, concerning Slaughter of
Men, ought to be of fuch Strength, Force, and Virtue,
that they, which, contrary to the Commandment of God,
hii vci, ;Ji\f mole, w hom this Conftitution of Man coitit

ma tided

cf UTOPIA. 19

roanded to be killed, be clean quit, and exempt out of
die Bonds and Danger of God’s Commandment ? lhall
it not then by this Reafion follow, that the Power of
God’s Commandment fhall extend no further than Man’s
Law doth define and permit? And fo lhall it come to
pais, that in like Manner Man’s Conllitutions in all
Tnings fhall determine how far the Obfervadon of God’s
Commandments lhall extend. To belhort, Mofes's Law,
tho’ it w'ere ungentle and lharp, as a Law that w'as
given to Bondmen, yea, and them very obftinate, ftub-
born, and ftift-necked ; yet it puniihed Theft by the
Furfe, and not with Death. And let us not think that
God in the new Law of Clemency and Mercy, under
the which he ruleth us with fatherly Gendenels, as his
dear Children, hath given us greater Scope and Licence
to the Execution of Cruelty, one upon another. Now
you have heard the Keafons, whereby, I am perfwaded,
that this Punifhment is unlawful. Furthermore, I think
that there is nobody that knoweth not, how unreafon-
able, yea*, how pernicious a Tiling it is to the Weal
Publick, that a Thief and an Homicide or Murtherer
lhould fuffer equal and like Punifhment? For the Thief
feeing that Man that is condemned for Theft, in no lels
Jeopardy, nor judged to no leis Punifhment, than him
that is convi filed of Manslaughter ; through this Cogi¬
tation only he is ftrongiy and lorcibly provoked, and in
a manner conltrained to kill him whom elle he would
have but robbed : For the Murder being once done, he
is in lefs Fear and in more Hope that the Deed lhall not
be bewrayed or known, feeing the Party is now dead,
and rid out of the Way, which only might have uttered
and difclofed it.

But if he chance to be taken and defcried, yet he is
in no more Danger and jeopardy than if he had com¬
mitted but fingle Felony. Therefore, while we go
about with iuch Cruelty to make Thieves afraid, we
provoke them to kill good Men. Now, as touching
this Queftion, what Punifhment were. more commodious
and better ; that, truly, in my Judgment, is ealier to be

found

20

•the C OMMON-W EAL T

H

tound than what Punifhment might be worfe. For why
lliould we doubt that to be a good and a profitable Way
lor the Punifhment of Offenders, which we know did in
Times pail: fo long pleafe the Romans , Men in the Admi-
niitration oj: a VVeal Publick molt expert, politick and
cunning? Such as among them were convict of great
and heinous Jfielpailes, them they condemned into Stone-
Quarries and into Mines to dig Metal, there to be kept
in Chains all the Days of their Life. But as concerning
this Matter, I allow the Ordinance of Nation fo well as
that which I faw while I travelled abroad about the
World, ufed in Perfia among the People that commonly
be called the Polylerites ; whofe Land is both large and
ample, . and alfo well and wittily governed • and the
People in all Conditions tree, and ruled by their own

Laws, faving that they pay a yearly Tribute to the great
King of Perfia. J

But becaufe they be far from the Sea, compaffed and
incloled, almoft round about with high Mountains, and
do content themfelves with the Fruits of their ©wn Land
which is of itfelf very fertile and fruitful: For this Caufe
they neither go to other Countries, nor do others come
to them. And? according to the old Cuftom of the
Land, they delire not to enlarge the Bounds of their
Dominions ; and thofe that they have, by reafon of the
high Hills, he eaiily defended ; and the Tribute which
they pay to their chiei Lord and King, letteth them quit
nnd free from Warfare. Thus their Life is commodious
rather than gallant, and may better be called happy or
wealthy, than notable and famous : For they be not
known, as much as by Name I fuppofe, laving only to
their next Neighbours and Borderers. They that in this
Land be attainted and convict of Felony, make Reifi-
tution of that which they Hole, to the right Owner:
and not (as they do in other Lands) to the King ;
whom they think to have no more Right to the Thief-
ftolen Thing than the Thief himfelf hath. But if the
Thing be loll or made away, then the Value of it is
paid of the Goods of fuch Offenders, which elle re¬
mained!

of UTOPIA. • 21

malneth all whole to their Wives and Children. And
they themfelves be condemned to be common Labourers ;
and unlefs the Theft be heinous, they be neither locked
in Prifon, nor fettered in Gives, but be united and go
at large, labouring in the common Works. They that
refufe Labour, or go flowly or flack to their Work, be
not only tied in Chains, but alfo pricked forward with
Stripes. But being diligent about their Work, they live
without Check or Rebuke. Every Night they be called
in by Name, and be locked in their Chambers. Beiide
their daily Labour, their Life is nothing hard or incom¬
modious 3 their Fare is indifferent good, borne at the
Charges of the Weal Publick, becaufe they be common
Servants to the Comm on -Wealth. But their Charges in
all Places of the Land is not borne alike. For in fome
Parts that which is bellowed upon them is gathered of
Aims. And though that Way be uncertain, yet the
People be fo full of Mercy and Pity, that none is found
more profitable or plentiful. In fome Places certain La¬
dies be appointed hereunto ; of the Revenues whereof
they be maintained. And in fome Places every Man
giveth a certain Tribute for the fame Ufe and Purpofe.

Again, in fome Part of the Land thefe ferving Men
(for fo be thefe damned Perfons called) do not common
Work, but as every private Man needeth Labourers, fo
he cometh into the Market-place, and there hireth fome
of them for Meat and Drink, and certain limited Wages
by the Day, fome what cheaper than he fiiould hire a
free Man. It is alfo lawful for them to chaftife the Sloth
of thefe ferving Men with Stripes. By this Means they
never lack Work, and befides the gaining of their Meat
and Drink, every one of them bringeth daily fomething
into the common Treafury. All and every one of them
be apparelled in one Colour. Their Heads be not poled
or fhaven, but rounded a little above the Ears. And
the Tip of the one Ear is cut off. Every one of them
may take Meat and Drink of their Friends, and alfo a
Coat of their own Colour ; but to receive Money is
Death, as well to the Giver as to the Receiver. And no

mwm i ' - Ids

m /*>

fthe Com mo N-W e At th

lefs Jeopardy it is for a free Man to receive Money of a
ferving Man, for any Manner of Caufe • and likewife
for ferving Men to touch Weapons. The ferving Men
©f every feveral Shire be diftinct and known from one
another by their feveral and diftinct Badges ; which to
call away is Death ; as it is alio to be feen out of the
Precinct of their own Shire 5 or to talk with a ferving
Man of another Shire. And it is no lefs Danger to
them for to intend to run away, chan to do it indeed.
Yea, and to conceal luch an Enterprize in a ferving Man,
it is Death ; in a free Man Servitude. Of the contrary
Part, to him that openeth and uttereth fuch Counfels,,
be decreed large Gifts : To a free Man a great Sum of
Money ; to a ferving Man Freedom 5 and to them both
Forgivenefs and Pardon of that they were ofCounfel in
that Pretence. So that it can never be fo good for
them to go forward in their eviiPurpofe, as by Repent¬
ance to turn back. This is the Law and Order in this
Behalf, as I have Ihewed you : Wherein what Humanity
is ufed, how far it is from Cruelty, and how commo¬
dious it is, you do plainly perceive ; Forafmuch as
the End of their Wrath and Punilhment intendeth no¬
thing eife but the Deftruftion of Vices and faying of
Men, with fo ufing and ordering them that they cannot
chufe but be good ; and what Harm foever they did be¬
fore, in the Reiidue of their Lives to make amends for
the fame.

' ) ’ *< ; , *

Moreover, it is fo little feared that they fhould turn

again to their vicious Conditions, that way-faring Men
will for their Safeguard chufe them to their Guides be¬
fore any other, in every Shire changing and taking
new : For if they would commit Robbery, they have
nothing about them meet for that Purpofe. They may
touch no Weapons ; Money found about them, fhould
betray the Robbery. They fhould be no fooner taken
with the Manner, but forthwith they iliould be punifhed.
Neither can they have any Hope at all to fcapeaway by
flying : For how fhould a Man, that in no Part of his
Apparel is like other Men, fly privily and unknown,

unlefo

cf UTOPIA, 23

unlefs he would run away naked ? Howbeit, fo alfo
flying he fhould be defcried by the rounding of his
Head, and his Ear-Mark. But it is a Thing to be
doubted, that they will lay their Heads together, and
confpire againft the Weal Publick. No, no, I warrant
you: For the ferving Men of one Shire alone could
never hope to bring to pafs fuch an Enterprize, without
foliciting, enticing, and alluring the ferving Men of
many other Shires, to take their Parts. Which Thing
is to them fo impoffible, that they may not as much as
fpeak or talk together, or falute one another. No, it
is not to be thought that they would make their own
Countrymen the Companions of their Counfel in fuch a.
Matter which they know well fhould be Jeopardy to the
Concealer thereof, and great Commodity and Goodnefs
to the Opener and Deteftor of the fame. Whereas, on
the other Part, there is none of them all hopelefs or in
Defpair to recover again his former Eftate of Freedom,
by humble Obedience, by patient Suffering, and by
giving good Tokens and Likelihood ofhimfelf that he
will ever after that live like a true and an honeft Man.

For every Year divers of them be reftored to their

j

Freedom, thro5 the Commendation of Patience. When
I had thus fpoken, faying, moreover, that I could fee no
Caufe why this Order might not be had in England , w'ith
much more Profit, than the Juftice which the Lawyer fo
highly praifed. Nay, quoth the Lawyer, this could
never be fo eflablifhed in England , but that it muft needs
bring the Weal Publick into great Jeopardy and Hazard*
And as he was thus faying, he fhaked his Head, and
made a wry Mouth, and fo he held his Peace. And all
that were prefent, with one Afient agreed to his Saying.
Well, quoth the Cardinal, yet it wrerc hard to judge9>
without a Proof, whether this Order would do wrell here
or no. But when the Sentence of Death is given, if then
the King fhould command Execution to be referred and
fpared, and wrould prove this Order and Fafhion, taking
away the Privilege of Sanftuaries ; if then the Proof
fhould declare the Thing to be good and profitable, then
* D it

£4 Sfo Common- W £ a l t k

it were well done that it were eftablilhed : Elfe condem¬
ned and reprieved Perfons may as well be put to Death
after this Proof, as when they were firll calf. Neither
any Jeopardy can in the mean Space grow hereof. Yea,
and me thinkcth that thefe Vagabonds may very well be
ordered after the fame Fafbion, again ft whom we have
hitherto made fo many Laws, and fo little prevailed.
YY hen the Cardinal had thus faid, then every Man gave-
great Praife to my Sayings, which a little before they had
difailowed. But molt of all was efteemed that which was
fpoken of Vagabonds, becaufe it was the Cardinal's Ad¬
dition. I cannot tell whether it were beft to rehearfe
the Communication that followed ; for it was not very
lad. But yet you lhall hear it, for there was no Evil in
it, and partly it pertained to the Matter before-faid. There
chanced to lfand by a certain jelling Parafite, or Scoffer,
which would feem to refemble and counterfeit the Fool.
But he did in fuch wife counterfeit, that he was almoft
the very fame indeed that he laboured to prefent : He fo
lludied with \\rords and Sayings, brought forth fo out of
Time and Place, to make Sport and more Laughter, that
he himfelf was oft’ner laughed at than his jells were.
Yet the foolilh Fellow brought out now and then fuch
indifferent and reafonable Stuff, that he made the Pro¬
verb true, which faith : He that fhooteth oft, at the laft
lhall hit the Mark : So that when one of the Company
faid, that thro’ my Communication a good Order was
found for Thieves, and that the Cardinal had alfo well
provided for Vagabonds, fo that only remained feme
good Proviiion to be made for them that through Sicknefs
and Age were fallen into Poverty, and were become fo
impotent and unwieldy, that they were not able to work
for their Living ; Tulh (quoth he) let me alone with
them ; you lhall fee me do well enough with them. For
I had rather than any Good, that this Kind of People
were driven fomewhere out of my Sight, they have fo
for e troubled me many times, and oft when they have with
their lamentable Tears begged Money of me; and yet
they could never, to my Mind, fo tune their

that
thereby

^/UTOPIA. $$

thereby they ever got of me one Farthing. For evermore
the one of thefe chanced, either that I would not, or elie
that I could not, becaule I had it not. Therefore now
they be waxed wife : For when they fee me go by, be-
caufe they will not loofe their Labour, they let me pafs,
and fay not one Word to me. So they look for nothing
of me ; no, in good Sooth, no more than if I were a
Prieft or a Monk. But I will make a Law, that all thefe
Beggars (hall be distributed, and bellowed into Houfes of
Religion. The Men fhall be made Lay-Brethren, as
they call them; and the Women Nuns. Hereat the
Cardinal fmiled, and allowed it in jell, yea, and all
the Relidue in good Earneft.

But a certain Friar graduate in Divinity, took fuch
Pleafure and Delight in this Jeft of Priefts and Monks,
that he alfo (being eife a Man of grifly and ftern Gra¬
vity) began merrily and wantonly to jeft and taunt.
"Nav (quoth he) you Should not be fo rid and difpatched
of Beggars, unlels you make lome Proviiien alfo lor us

y-i • J

rnars.

Why, quoth the Jefter, that is done already, for my
Lord himfelf fet a very good Order for you, when he
decreed, that Vagabonds Ihould be kept ftrait, and fee
to work : For you be the greateft and verieft V agabonds
that be. This Jeft alfo, when they faw the Cardinal not
difprove it, every Man took it gladly, faving only the
Friar : For he (and that no Marvel) being thus touched
on the Quick, and hit on the Gall, fo fretted, fo fumed,
and dialed at it, and was in fuch a Rage, that he could
not refrain himfelf from chiding, fcolding, railing and
reviling. He called the Fellow Ribald, Villain, javel.
Backbiter, Slanderer, and the Child of Perdition ; citing
therewith terrible Tfireatnings out of holy Scripture.
Then the jelling Scoffer began to play the Scoffer in¬
deed, and verily he was good at that j for he could play
a Part in that Play, no Man better. Patient vourlelf^
good Mailer Friar (quoth he) and be not angry • for
Scripture faith, In your Patience you fhall Jave your
mis. Then the Friar (f or I will rehearfe his own

D st

very

C O M M O N W E A L T H

t

\eiy W ords) No, Gallows- Wretch, I am not angry
(quoth he) or, at the leaft-wife, I do not fin: For the
Pfulmif laith, Be you angry , and fin not. Then the
Cardinal ipake gently to the Friar, and defired him to
quiet him (elf. No, my Lord (quoth he) I {peak not
but of a good Zeal, as I ought ; for holy Men had a
good Zeal : - Wherefore it is laid, Fix Zeal of thy Houfe
hath eaten me. And it is fung in the Church, Fhe Scorn-
Ci S of Lclizcus, whiles he went up into the Houfe of God,
felt the Zeal of the Bald, as peradventure this fcorning vil¬
lainous Ribald fhall feel. Y ou do it (quoth the Cardi¬
nal) perchance of a good Mind and Affection ; but me
thinkedi you lliould do, I cannot tell whether more holy,
but for certain more wifely, it you w-ould not fet yrour
Wit to a Fool’s Wit, and with a Fool take in Hand a
foolifh Contention. No, forfooth, my Lord (quoth
he) I lliould not do more wifely : For Solomon the wife
faith, Jnjwer a Fed according to his Folly , like as I do
now, and do pew him the Pit that he pall fall into , if he
take not heed t For if many Scorners of Hehzetis, which
w as but one bald Man, felt the Zeal of the Bald, how
much more {hall one Scorner of many Friars feel, among
whom be many bald Men > And we have alfo the Pope’s
Bulls, whereby all that mock and fcorn us, be excom¬
municated, fufpended and accurfed. The Cardinal fee¬
ing no End would be made, fent away the Jeiter by a
privy Beck, and turned the Communication to another
Matter. Shortly after, when he was rifen from the
'Fable, he went to hear his Suiters, and fo difmified us.
Look, Matter Moore, w ith how long and tedious a Tale
I have kept you, which 1 urely 1 would have been afliamed
to have done, but that you fo earneftly defired me,
and did after fuch a Sort give Ear unto it, as though you
would not that any Parcel of that Communication flrould
be left out. Which though I have done fomewhat
briefly, yet could 1 not chuie but rehearfe it, for the
Judgment of them, which, when they had improved and
difalJowcd my Sayings, yet incontinently hearing the
Cardinal allow them, did themfelvcs alio approve the

fame s

of U T O P I A. 27

kune ; fo impudently flattering him, that they were no¬
thing’ afhamed to admit, yea, almoft in good Earned,
thofe lefts and foolilh Inventions, became that he hiinfelf,
bv Imiling at them, did feem not to difprove them. So
that hereby you may right well perceive how little the
Courtiers would regard and efteem me and my Sayings.
1 allure you, Mafter Raphael , quoth 1, 1 took great De¬
legation in hearing you ; all Things that you laid, were
fpoken fo wittily and fo pleafantly. And I thought my-
lelf to be in the mean time not only at home in my
Country, but alfo, thro’ the pleafant Remembrance of
the Cardinal, in whofe Houfe I was brought up of a
Child, to wax a Child again. And, Friend Raphael ,
tho’ I did bear very great Love towards you before, yet
feeing you do fo earneftly favour this Man,, you will not
believe how much my Love towards you is now in-
creafed. But yet, all this notwithftanding, I can by no
means change my Mind, but that I muft needs believe,
that you, if you be difpofed, and can find in your Heart,
to follow fome Prince’s Court, fhall, with your good
Counfels, greatly help and further the Common- W- ealth.
Wherefore there is nothing more appertaining to your
Duty, that is to fay, to the Duty of a good Man. For
whereas your Plato judgeth, that Weal Publicks fhall by
this Means attain perfect Felicity, either if Philofopher*
be Kings, or eife if Kings give themfelves to the Study
of Philofophy ; how far, I pray you, fhall Common¬
wealths then be from this Felicity, if Philolophers will
vouchfafe to inltrufl Kings with their good Counfel?

They be not lb unkind (quoth he) but they would
gladly do it, yea, many have done it already in Books
that they have put forth, if Kings and Princes would be
willing and ready to follow good Counfel. But Plate ,
doubdefs, did well forefee, unlefs Kings themfelves
would apply their Minds to the Study of Philofophy,
that elfe they would never thoroughly allow the Counfel
of Philofophers, being themfelves before, even from
their tender Age, infected and corrupt with perverfe
and evil Opinions. Which Thing Plato himfelf proved

%izc Common - W e a t t k

true in King Dionyfe. If I fhould propofe to any Kin»
wlioliome Decrees, doing my Endeavour to pluck out
vr ms Mmd the pernicious original Caufes of Vice and
Naughtinefs, think you not that I fliould forthwith
either be driven away, or elfe made a laughing Stock?
y . 5 juppofe I were with the French King, and there
fitting in his Council, whilft in that molt fecret Confu¬
tation, the King himfelf there being prefent in his own
Penon, they beat their Brains, and fearch’d the very Bot¬
toms ol their \\ its, to difcufs by what Craft and Means,
the King may ltill keep Milan, and draw to him again
fugitive Naples •, and then how to conquer the Venetians-
and how to bring under his Jurifdi&ion all Italy ; then
how to w in the Dominion of Handers , Brabant , and all
Burgundy, with divers other Lands and Kingdoms, which
he hath long ago in Mind and Purpofe invaded. Here,
wnilffc one counfeleth to conclude a League of Peace
with the Venetians, fo long to endure as fhall be thought
meet and expedient for their Purpofe, and to make them-
lelves alfo or their Council ; yea, and befidesthat, to give
them Part of tire Prey, which afterward, when they have
brought their Purpofe about after their owrn Minds, they
may require and claim again ; another thinketh beft to
hire the Germans ; another would have the Favour ol the
Switzers won with Money: Another’s Advice is to ap-
peafe the puillant Power of the Emperor’s Majelty with
Gold, as with a moll pleafant and acceptable Sacrifice -
whilft another giveth Counfel to make Peace with the
King of Arragon, and to reftore unto him his own King¬
dom of Navarre, as a full Aflurance of Peace: Another
cometh in with his five Eggs, and advifeth to hook in
the King of Gaf. ik, with fome Elope of Affinity or Al¬
liance ; and to bring to their Part certain Peers of his
Court, for great Penlions.

Whilft they all ftay at the chiefeft Doubt of all, what
to do in the meantime with England-, and yet agree
ail in this, to make Peace with the Englijhtnen , and with
moft fure and ftrong Bonds to bind that weak and feeble
Friendfhip, fo that they mult be called Friends, and had

ia

ef UTOPIA. 29

in Sufpicion as Enemies. And that therefore the Scots
muft be had in Readinefs, and, as it were, ready
at all Occafions (in Cafe the Englijhmen fhouid ftir
never fo little) incontinently to fet upon them. And
moreover, privily and fecretly) for openly it may not
be done, by the Truce that is taken) privily therefore,

I fay, to make much of fome Peer ol England , that is ba~
niffied his Country, which muft claim Title to the Crown
of the Realm, and affirm himfelf juft Inheritor thereof *
that by this fubtle Means they may hold to them the
King, in whom elfe they have but fmall Truft and Al¬
liance.

Here, I fay, where fo great and high Matters be in
Confultation, where fo many noble and wife Men coun-
fel their King only to War , here if I, lilly Man, fhouid
rife up, and try to turn over the Leal, and learn a new
Teflon, faying, That my Counfel is not to meddle with
Italy, but to tarry Hill at home ; and that the Kingdom
of France alone is almoft greater than that it may well be
governed of one Man ; fo that the King fhouid not
need to ftudy how' to get more ^ And then fhouid pro-
pofe unto them the Decrees of th^People that be called
the Achoriens , which be iituate ov|$ragainft the Ifland of
Utopia , on the South-Eaft Side.

Thefe Achoriens once made War in their King’s Quar¬
rel, for to get him another Kingdom, which he laid
Claim unto, and advanced himfelf right Inheritor to the
Crown thereof, by the Title of an old Alliance. At the
laft, when they had gotten it, and faw that they had
even as much Vexation and Trouble in keeping it as
they had in getting it ; and that either their new con¬
quered Subje£!s by fundry Occafions were making daily
Infurreftions to rebel againft them, or elfe that ether
Countries were continually with divers Inrodes and
Foreigns invading them 3 fo that they were ever fight¬
ing, either for them, or againft them ; and never could
break up their Camps : Seeing themfelves in the mean
Seafon pillaged and impoverished, their Money carried
®ut of the Realm , their own Men killed, to maintain

the

T H

30 The Common- W e a l

the Glory of another Nation-, when they had no War
(Peace nothing better than War) by reafon that their
People in War had fo inured themfelves to corrupt
and wicked Manners, that they had taken a Delight
and Pleafure in Robbing and Stealing - that thro5
Manllaughter they had gathered Boldnefs to Mif-
chief • that their Laws were had in Contempt, and
nothing fet by, or regarded; that their King, being
troubled with the Charge and Governance of two
Kingdoms, could not, nor was not able perfectly to
difcharge his Office towards them both: Seeing again,
that all thefe Evils and Troubles were endlefs, at the
laft laid their Heads together, and, like faithful and
loving Subj efts, gave to their King free Choice and Li¬
berty to keep Hill the one of thefe two Kingdoms, whe¬
ther he would, alledging, that he was not able to keep
both, and that they were more than might well be go¬
verned of Half a King, for astnuch as no Man would be
content to take him for his Muletier, that keepeth an¬
other Man's Mules befides hisj So this good Prince was
constrained to be content with his old Kingdom, and to
give over the new to one of his Friends, who fhortly
after was violently driven out.

Furthermore, If I lhould declare untomHem, that all
this bufy Preparance to War, whereby fo many Nations
for his fake lhould be brought into a troublefome Hurly-
burly , when all his Coffers were emptied, his Treasures
Wafted, and his People deftroyed, lhould at length thro5
fome Mifchance, be in vain, and to none Effect y and
that therefore it was belt for him to content hinifeit with
his own Kingdom of France, as his Forefathers and Pre-
deceflors did before him ; to make much of it, to enrich
it, and to make it as flourifhing as he could ; to endea¬
vour himfelf to love his Subjects, and again to be be¬
loved of them ; willingly to live with them, peaceably
to govern them, and not to meddle with other King¬
doms, feeing that which he hath already, is even
enough for him, yea5 and more than he can well turn

him to.

This

—

of UTOPIA. 3*

This mine Advice, Mailer Moors , how think you,
would it not be hardly taken ? bo Ood help me, nor,
very thankfully, quoth I. Well, let us proceed then,
quoth he : Suppofe that fome King and his Council were
together, whetting their Wits, and deviling what fubtle
Craft they might invent to enrich the King with great

Treafures of Money. .. f , . , ■ _

Fir ft. One counfelcth to raife and enhance the Valua¬
tion of Money, , when the King muft pay any $ _an_d
again, to call down the Value ot Coin to lefs than it is
worth, when he muft receive or gather any : For thus
great Sums ilia.Il be paid with a little Money j and whero
little is due, much fhall be received. .

Another counfelcth to feign War j that, when under
this Colour and Pretence the King hath gathered^ great
Abundance of Money, he may, when it Ifcall pieaie him.

Pity and Compaffion forfocth upon Man’s Blood, like
& loving and a merciful Prince. . - - .

Another putteth the King in Remembrance of certain
old and Moth-eaten Laws, that of long Time have not
been put in Execution, which, becaufe no Man can re¬
member that they were made, every Man hatn tranlgref-
fed. The Fine3 of thefe Laws he counfelcth the King
to require : For there is no Way fo profitable, nor more
honourable, as that which hath a Shew and Colour of

Juftice. , i : # ; .

Another advifeth him to forbid many Things under
great Penalties and Fines, fpecially fucn Things; as is
for the People’s Profit not to be ufed ; and afterward to
difpenfe for Money with them which by this Prohibition
fuftain Lofs and Damage : For by this Means the Fa¬
vour of the People is won, and Profit rifeth two Ways:
Firft, by taking Forfeits of them whom Covetoufnefs of
Gains hath brought in D inger of this Statute ; and alfo
by felling Privileges and Licences: Which the better
-that the Prince is, forfootn, the dearer he feileth them,
as one that is ioath to grant to any private Perfon any

E Thing

%

F

. £L

■ ..I..."

y,

Hi.

I

rw i*

►< j

fbt C

O IS M O Jf - W E A 1 T

K

Tiling that is againft the Profit of his People ; and there¬
fore may let none, but at an exceeding dear Price.

, • ^ot J~r S*'*^1* ™e KinS Counfel to endanger unto
his Grace the Judges of the Realm, that he may have

them over on his Side, and that they may in every Mat¬
ter dilpute and reafon for the King’s Right. Yea, and
furthei to call them into his Palace, and to require them
there to argue ana difcufs his Matters in his own Pre¬
tence : So there (hall be no Matter of his fo openly
wrong and unjuft, wherein one or the other of them
enact became he will have fomething to ailedge and ob¬
ject; or mat he is attained to fay that which is faid al¬
ready ; or elfe to pick a Thank with his Prince, will

not find fome Hole open to fet a Snare in, wherewith
to take the contrary Part in a Trip.

Thus, whilft the Judges cannot agree amongft them-
lelves, reafonmg and arguing of that which is plain
enough, and bringing the manifeft Truth in Doubt^ in
the mean Seafon the King may take a fit Occalion to’ un-
deritand the Law as ttall make moft for his Advarita^e
whereunto all others, for Shame or for Fear, will ao-ree!
Then the Judges may be bold to pronounce on the
King s Side . tor he that giveth Sentence for the Kin»
cannot be without a good Excufe ; for it ttall be fuffi-

v11fnt/0rrhl,ni r° have Efiuit>r on llis PaTCJ the bare

. ords “e Lav/, a wrydien and wrefted Underftand-
mg of tne fame (or elfe, which with good and juft
Judges is of greater £orce chan all Laws be) the Kino ’s
indlfputable Prerogative. To conclude. All the Coun¬
cilors agree and confent together with the rich Cmfus
That no Abundance of Gold can be fufncicnt for a
Prince, which mull keep and maintain an Army. Fur¬
thermore, That a King, tho’ he would, can do nothin!?
unjuftly. ®

, ^ m .a^ dlat have, yea, alfo tne Men themfelves,
be ad his. [ And that every Man hath fo much of his
own, as the King’s Gcntleneft hath not taken from him.)
And that it ihall be moft for the King’s Advantage that
kis Subjects have very little or nothing in their Pollcf-

fieri.

ef UTOPIA. 35

ion, as his Safeguard doth herein con fid, that his
5eople do not wax wanton and wealthy thro5 Riches
md Liberty, becaufe where thefe Things be, there Men
ie not wont patiently to obey hard, unjuft, and eniaw-
ul Commandments. Whereas, on the other Part,
s'eed and Poverty doth hold down, and keep under
tout Courages, and maketh them patient perforce,
aking from them bold and rebelling Stomachs.

Here again, if I fhould rife up, and boldly affirm,
bat all thefe Counfels be to the King’s Dilhonour and Re-
iroach, whole Honour and Safety is more and rather
reported and upholden by the Wealth and Riches of
is People, than by his own Treafures ; and if I fhould
eclare that the Commonalty chufeth their King for
reir own fake, and not for his lake, to the Intent, that
iro’ his Labour and Study they might all live wealthy,
lie from Wrongs and Injuries ; and that therefore the
Ling ought to take more Care for the Wealth of his
}eople, than for his own Wealth, even as rise Office
nd Duty of a Shepherd is, in that he is a Shepherd, to
;ed his Sheep rather than himfeif. For as touching
lis, that they think the Defence and Maintenance of
'eace to conlift in Poverty of the People, the Thing it-
df lheweth that they be far out of the Way : For w here
tall a Man find more Wrangling, Quarrelling, Brawl-
lg and Chiding, than among Beggars ? Who be more
iefirous of new Mutations and Alterations than they
rat be not content with die prefent State of their "Life ?
)r finally, Who be bolder ftomached to bring all in a
lurly-burly (thereby trading to get fome Wind-fall)
fan they that have nothing to lofe? And if any
Ling were fo finally regarded, and fo lightly efteemed,
ea, fo behated of hie Subjects, that other ways he
ouid not keep them in Awe, but only by open Wrongs,
>y polling and {having, and by bringing them to Beg¬
gary ; furely, it -were better for him to forfake his King-
om tlian to held it by that Means ; whereby, tho’ the
s ame of a King be kept, yet the Majefty is loll: For it
5 again;! tk$ Dignity of a King to have Rule over Beg-

li 2

34

Ifbc Common- We alt

K

gars, but rather over rich and wealthy Men. Of this
Mind was the hardy and courageous Fabrice , when he

laid, that he bad rather be a Ruler of rich Men , than be rick
himfclf. - - ;-

And verily, one Man to live in Pieafure and Wealth,
whilft all others weep and fmart for it, that is the Part,
not of a King, but a Jailor. To be fhort, As he is a
fooliih Fhyiician, that cannot cure his Patient’s Difeafe,
nnlefs he call him in another Sicknefs ; fo lie that cannot
amend the Lives of his Subjects, but by caking from
them the W ealth and Commodity of Life j he muft needs
grant that he knoweth not the Wealth and Commodity
ot Lite j and likewife that he knoweth ] not the
Feat how to govern Men. But let him rather amend his
own Life, renounce difhoneft Pleafures, and forfake
Pride: For thefe be the chief Vices that caufe him to run
into Contempt or Hatred of his People. Let him live
•on his own, hurting no Man : Let his Cofts not exceed
his Power: 'Let him reftrain Wickednefs: Let him pre¬
vent Vices, and take away the Gccafion of Offences by
well-ordering his Subjects, and not by fuffering Wicked-
nefs to encreafe, and afterward to bepunifhed: Let him
not be too hafly in calling again Laws which a Cuftom
hath abrogated efpeciailv luch as have been long for¬
gotten, and never lacked nor needed. And let him
never, under the Cloak and Pretence of Tranfgreffion,
take fuch Fines and Forfeits, as no Judge will fuffer a
private Perfon to take, as unjuft and full of Guile.

Here if I ihould bring forth before them the Law- of
the MacarianSj which be not far diftant from Utopia ,
whofe King the Day of his Coronation is bound by a
folemn Oath, that he fha!l never at any Time have in
his Treafarc above a thoufand Pounds of Gold or Silver.
They lay, that a very good ICing, which took far more
Care for the Wealth ' and Commodity of his Country,
than for the enriching of himfeif* made this Law to be
a Stop and Bar to Kings from heaping and hoarding up
fo much Money as might impoverish their People: For
he forelaw chat this Sum of Treafure would fuffice to

fupporc

^UTOPIA.

fupport the King in Battle againft his own People, if
they fnould chance to rebel ; and alfo to maintain his
Wars againft the Invasions of his foreign Enemies.
Again, he perceived the fame Stock of Money to be too
little and infufficient to encourage and enable him
wrongfully to take away other Mens Goods ; which was
the chief Caule why the Law was made. . Another Caufe
was tliis, He thought that by this Provifion his People
fliould not lack Money wherewith to maintain their dai¬
ly Occupying and Chaffer.

1 And feeing the King could not chufe hut lay out and
bellow all that came in above the preferihed Sum of his
Stock, Ire thought he would feek no Gccafions to do his
Subjects Injury. Such a King fhall be feared of evil
Men, and loved of good Men. Thefe, and fuch other
informations, if! fbould ufe among Men wholly inclined
and given to the contrary Part, what deaf Ears, drink
you, fhould I have ? Deaf Hearers, doubtlefs, quoth I.
And, in good Faidr, no Marvel. And to be plain with
you, truly I cannot allow that fuch Communication fhall
be ufed, or fuch Counfel given, as fhall never be re¬
garded nor received: For how can fuch ft range In¬
formations be profitable, or how can the}/ be beaten
into their Heads, whole Minds be already prevented
with clean contrary Perfudions ? This School-Philofo-
phy is not unplealant among Friends in familiar Commu¬
nication, but in dre Counfels ofKings, where great Mat¬
ters be debated and reafoned widi great Authority, thefe
Things have no Place.

That is it which I meant, quoth he, when I faid Phi-
lofophy had no Place among Kings. Indeed, quoth I,
this School-Phiiofophy hath not ; which thinketh all
Things meet for every Place. But there is another Phi-
lofophv more civil, which knoweth, as you would fay,
her own Stage, and therefore ordering and behaving
herfelf in the Play that fhe hath in Hand, playeth her
Pait accordingly with Comeiinefs, uttering nothing out
of due Order and Falhion. And this is the Philofcphy
that you muft ufe. Or elfe, whilft a Comedy of Plautus

4

in or

56 SilCoilMOJf-WfiAlfK

is playing, and the vile Bond-men fcoffing and trifling
among themfelves, if you fhould fuddenly come upon the
Stage in a Philofopher % Apparel, and rehearfe out of
Qffavia the Place wherein Seneca difputeth with Nero^ had
k not been better for you to have played the dumb Per-
fon, than by rehearfing that which ferved neither for the
Time nor Place, to have made fuch a tragical Comedy,
or Gallimalffy : For by bringing in other Stuff, that no¬
thing appertained! to the Matter, you muft needs mar
and prevent the Play that is in Hand, though the Stuff
that you bring, be much better. What Part foever you
Lave taken upon you, play that as well as you can, and
make the bed of it : And do not therefore difturb and
bring out of Order the whole Matter, becaufe that an¬
other which is merrier and better, cometh to your Re¬
membrance.

So the Cafe ftandeth in a Common-Wealth ; and fo it
is in the Confutations of Kings and Princes. If evil
Opinions and naughty Perfuafions cannot be utterly and
quite plucked out of their Hearts, if you cannot even as
you would, remedy "V ices, which Ufe and Cuftom hath
confirmed ; yet for this Cauls you muft not leave and
forfake the Common- Wealth : You muft not forfake the
Ship in a Tempeft, becaufe you cannot rule and keep
down the Winds. No, nor you muft not labour to
drive into their Heads new and ftrange Informations,
which you know well fhall be nothing regarded with
them that be of clean contrary Minds. But you muft,
with a crafty Wile and fubtlc Train, ftudv and endea¬
vour yourfelf, as much as in you lieth, to handle the
Matter wittily and handfomly for the Purpofe, and that
which you cannot turn to Good., fo to order it that it do
not very bad: For it is not poflible for all Things to be
well, untefs all Men were good 9 which, I think, will
not be thefe good many If cars. * By this Means, quoth
he, nothing elfe w ill be brought to pafs ; but whilft I
go about to remedy the Madnefs of others, I fhould be
even as mad as they : For if I fhould fpcak Tilings that

be true, I muft needs fpcak fuch Things > but as for to

fpcak

^UTOPIA. 57

ipeak falfe Things, whether that be a Philofopher’j Part,
or no, I cannot tell, truly it is not rny Part Howbeit,
this Communication of mine, tho’ peradventure it may
feem unpleafant to them, yet cannot I lee why it Ihould
leem ftrange, or fooliflily new-fangled. If fo be that I
Ihould 1'peak thofo Things that Plato feigneth in his
Weal Publick, or that the Utopians do in theirs, thef®
Tilings, tho’ dtey w ere (as they be indeed) better, yet
they might feem fpoken out of Place. Forafmuch as
here amongft us every Man hath his Pofleffions leverally
to himfelf, and there ail Things be in common.

But what was in my Communication contained, that
might not, and ought not in any Piace to be fpoken >
Saving that to them which have thoroughly decreed anil
determined with themfelves to run headlong on the con¬
trary way, it cannot be acceptable and pleafant, becaufe
it caileth them back, and fheweth them the Jeopardies:
Verily, if all Things that evil and vicious Manners hay®
caufed to feem inconvenient, and nought Ihould be re¬
efed as Things unmeet and reproachful, then we mull
among Chrijtian People wink at the moft Part of all thole
Things which Cbrift taught us, and fo ftraitly forbad
them to be winked at, that thofe Things alio which he
whilpered in die Ears of his Difciples, he commanded
to be proclaimed in open Houfes. And yet the moft
Part oi them is more different from the Manners of the
World now-a-days, than my Communication was. Bus
Preachers, fiily and wily Men, following your CounfeJL,
as I fuppofe, becaufe they faw Men not willing to frame
their Manners to Chip’s Rule, they have wrefted and
wried his Do&rine, and, like a Rule of Lead, have ap¬
plied it to Mens Manners ; that by fome Means, at the
leaft way, they might agree together. Whereby I can¬
not fee what good they have done ; but that Men may
without Regret be evil. And I truly Ihould prevail even
as little in Kings Counlels : For either I mull fay other-
ways than they fay, and then I had as good fay no¬
thing, or elfe I muft fay the fame that they fay, and (as
jiJitit laith m ‘lermej help to further their Madnefs.

For

38 ^ht CoHMOK.-W E A t T H

For that crafty Wile, and fubtle Train of your’s I can¬
not perceive to what Purpofe it ferveth, wherewith you
would have me to itudy and endeavour myfelf, if all
Things cannot be made good, yet to handle them wit¬
tily and handfomly for the Purpofe, that as far as
is pollible, they may not be very evil. For there is no
Place to diilembie in, nor to work in: Naughty Coun-
fels mull be openly allowed, and very pellilent Decrees
mull be approved.

He lhail be counted worfe than a Spy, yea, almoll as
evil as a Traitor, that with a taint Heart doth praife
evil and noifome Decrees. Moreover, a Man can have
no Occalion to do Good, chancing into the Company of
them which will fooneh' pervert a good Man than be
made good themfelves ; through whcfe evil Company he
fliallbe marred, orelfe if he remain good and innocent,
yet the Wickednefs and Folly of others lhail be imputed
to him, and laid on his N eck. So that it is impoffible
with that crafty Wile and fubtle Train to turn any Thing
to better. Wherefore Plato by a goodly Similitude de¬
clared! why wife Men refrfdn to meddle in the Com¬
mon-Wealth: For when the ;,' fee the People fwarm into
the Streets, and daily wet to the Skin with Rain, and
yet cannot perfuade them to go out of the Rain, and to
take to their Houfe, knowing well, that if they fhould
go out to them, they Ihould n othing prevail, nor win
ought by it, but with them be wet alfo in the Rain, they
do keep themfelves within theif Houfes, being content
that they be fafc themfelves, feeing they cannot remedy
the Folly of the People. Howh eit, doubdeis, Mailer
Moore (to fpeak truly as my Mind giveth me) where
Pofleffions be private, where Money beareth ad the
Stroke, it is hard and almoll impo ffible that there the ,
Weal Publick may be jullly govern! d, and prolperoully
flourilh ; unlefs you think thus, That jultice is there
executed where all Things come into the Hanas or evil
Men ; or that Profperity there flourhl eth, w’here all is

divided among a Few j which Few ct verthelefs do not

lead

*

tf UTOPIA. 3g

if

lead their Lives very wealthily, and the Refidue live
miferably, wretchedly and beggarly.

Wherefore, when I coniider with myfelf, and weigh
in my Mind, the wife and godly Ordinances of the Uto¬
pians ; among whom, with very few Laws, all Things
be fo well and wealthily ordered, that Virtue is had in a
Price and Eftimation, and yet all Things being there
common, every Man hath Abundance of every Thing.
Again, On the other Part, when I compare with them fo
many Nations ever making new Law£, yet none of them
all well and fbfficiently furnifhed with Laws j where every
Man calleth that he hath gotten, his own proper and piN
vate Goods, where fo many new Laws daily made, be
not fufficient for every Man to enjoy, defend, and know
from another Man’s that which he calleth his own :
Which Thing the infinite Controveriies in the Law,
daily arifing^ never to be ended, plainly declare to be
true. Thefe Things., I fay, when I coniider with my-
felf^ I hold with Plato0 and do nothing marvel., that he
would make no Laws for them that refufed thofe Laws
^hereby all Men fhould have and enjoy equal Portions
of Wealths and Commodities.

^ /I t ft ' •

For the wife Man did eaiily forefee this to be the one
and only Way to the Wealth of a Commonalty, iff
Equality of all Things fhould be brought in and cfta-
blifhed. Which, : I think, is not poflible to be obferved
where every Man’s Goods bh proper and peculiar to
himfelf: For where every Man, under certain Titles and
Pretences, draweth and plucketh to himfelf as much as
he can ; fo that a Few divide among themfelves all the
whole Riches, be there never fo much Abundance and
Store, and to the Refidue is left Lack and Poverty.

And for the moft Part it chanceth, that this latter Sort
i* more worthy to enjoy that State of Wealth' than the
other be * becaufe the rich Men be covetous, crafty and
unprofitable. On the other Part the Poor be lowly,;
fimple, and by their daily Labour more profitable to the
Common- Wealth than to themfelves. Thus I do fully
perfuade myfelf, that no equal aad juft Piftribution of

rr» r-r-Ai • • <

40 tfhe C C M M O H-W E A t t K

Things can be made, nor that perfeft Wealth foall ever
be among xMen, unlefs this Propriety be exiled and ba-
nnlied. But lo long as it foall continue, fo Ion? fhall
remain among the moil and bell Part of Men, the heavy
and incurable Burthen of Poverty and Wretchednefs.
YV hicn, as i grant that it may be fomewhat eafed, fo I
utterly deny that it can wholly be taken away : For if
there were a Statute made, that no Man foould have in
his Stock above a prelcribed and appointed Sum ofMo-
ney ; . it it were by certain Laws decreed, that neither
tiic King inould be of too great Power, neither the Peo-
pie too haughty and wealthy; and that Offices foould
not be by inordinate Suit, or by Bribes and Gifts; that
they fooidd neither be bought nor fold; nor that it
liiould be needful for the Ofncers to be at any Cofl: or
Charge in their Offices : For fo Occalion is given to them
b> ^ raud and ivatin to gather up their Money again *
and, by Reafon of Gifts and Bribes, the Offices be given
to rich Men, which foould rather have been executed of
wife Men : by fuch Laws, I fay, like as fick Bodies,
that be delperate and pail Cure, be wont with continual
good Cherifoing to be kept and botched up for a Time -
lo thefe Evils alfo may be lightned and mitigated. But
that they may be perfectly cured, brought to a good and
upiight State,, is not to be hoped for, whilft every Man.
is Mailer of his own to himlelf. Tea, and whilll you
go about to do your Cure of one Part, you foall make
bigger the Sore of another Part, fo the Help of one
cauieth another’s Harm : Forafmuch as nothing can b»
given to any one, unlefs it be taken from another.

But I am of a contrary Opinion, quoth I: For me
thinketh that Men foall never there live wealthy, where
all Things be common : For how can there be Abundance
of Goods, or of any Thing, where every Man wich-
draweth his Hand from Labour? Whom the Regard
of his own Gains driveth not toWotk, but the Hope
that he hath in other Mens Travels maketh him flothful.

Then, when they be pricked with Poverty, and yet
no Man can by any Law or Right defend that for his

own.

^UTOPIA. 4?

own, which he hath gotten with the Labour of his own.
Hands, (hall not there of Neceiiity be continual Sedition
and Bloodihed ? Specially the Authority and Reverence
of Magiftrates being taken away, which, what Place it
may have with fuch Men among whom is no Difference,
I cannot devife. I marvel not, quoth he, that you be
of this Opinion. For you conceive in your Mind either
none at all, or elfe a very falfe Image and Similitude
of this Thing. But if you had been with me in Utopia ,
and had in Perfon feen their Fafhions and Laws, as I
did, which lived there five Years, and more, and would
never have come away thence, but only to make that
new Land known ; then, doubtlefs, you would grant
that you never faw People wre!i ordered, but only there.
Surely (quoth Matter Peter) it fhall be hard for you
to make me believe that there is better Order in that
new Land, than is here in the Countries that we know.
For eood Wits be as well here as there ; and 1 think
our Common- Wealths be ancienter than theirs, wherein
long Ufe and Experience hath found out many Things
commodious for Man’s Life j beiides that many Things
here among us have been found by chance, which no
Wit could ever have devifed. As touching; the Ancient-
nefs, quoth he, of Common-Wealths, then you might
better judge if you had read the Hiftories and Chronicles
of that Land, which, if we may believe. Cities were
there before Men were here.

Now what Thing foever hitherto by Wit hath been
devifed, or found by chance, that might be as well
there as here. But I think verily, tho’ it were fo that
we did pafs them in Wit ; yet in Study, in Travel, and
in labourfome Endeavour, they far pafs us : For (as
their Chronicles teftify) before our Arrival there, they
never heard any Thing of us, whom they call the Ultra -
equinoctials 3 faving that once about Twelve-hundred
Years ago, a certain Ship was loft by the Hie of Utopia ,
which was driven thither by Tempeft, certain Romans
and Egyptians were call on Land, which after that
never went thence.

F 2 Mark

4* *tnc Common- W salts

Mark now what Profit they took pf this one Occafioa
thro Diligence and earneft Labour. There was no
Lratt nor Science within the Empire of Rome, whereof
any- 1 rout could rile, but they either learned it of thefe
strangers, or elfe ol them who found it out by taking Oc-
cahon to fearch for it. Sp great Profit was it to them
that ever any went thither from hence. But if anv like
Chance before this hath brought any Man from thenc®
Hither, that is quite out of Remembrance, as this alfo
perchance in Time to come fhall be forgotten, that ever
i was there. And like as they quickly, almoft at th®
ni It Meeting, made their own whatfoever is among: u«
wealthily devifed : So, I fupppfe, it would be long be¬
fore we lhould receive any Thing that among them is
better inllituted than among us. i

And this, I fuppofe, is the chief Caufe why their
Common-Wealths be wifelier governed, and do flouriih
in more Wealth thaq our’s, tho’ we neither in Wit nor
Riches be their Inferiors. Therefore, gentle Mailer Ra-
jt.yrf/, quoth I, I pray and befeech you defcribe unto us the
Lland. And ftudy not to be lhort ; but declare largely
m Order their Soils, their Rivers, their Cities, their
People, their Manners, their Ordinances, their La W3;
nay, in lhort, ah Things that you fhall think us defirous
to know. And you mult think us defirous to know
Whatfoever we know not yet. •> ;

There is nothing, quoth he, that I wiM do gladiier.
For all thefe Things I have frelh in Mind: But the Mat¬
ter requireth Leifure. : Let us go in therefore, quoth I,
to Dinner, and afterward we will bellow the Time at
our Pleasure. ■ I am content, quoth he* be it fo. W'e
went in, and dined. ’ l ^ ; ' i*.* - - ^

When Dinner was done, we came back, and fat down
in the lame Place, commanding our Servants not to fufter
any body to trouble us. Then I and Mailer Peter Giles
deli red Mafcer Raphael to perform hisPromife.

He therefore feeing us defirous and willing to hearken
to him, after haying fat (till and paufed a little while*
muling and bethinking himfelf, he began thus.--—

SVje END <f-\the First Book. •

^UTOPIA.

41

BOOK II.

The Communication of Raphael
Hythlod aYj concerning the belt
State of a Common-Wealth.

f*he Defer ipticn of Utopia, with a large Declaration of the
1 politick Government} and oj all the good Laws and Orders
of the fame Ifland,

TH E Wand of Utopia contameth In Breadth in the
middle Part of it (for there it is faroadeft, two-
hundred Miles, Which Breadth continued! thro' the
moft Part of the Land, faving that by little it eometh in,
and waxeth narrower towards both the Ends ; which
fetching about a Circuit or Compafs of about five-hun¬
dred Miles, do fafhion the whole Wand like to the new
Moon. Between diefe two Corners the Sea runneth in*
dividing them afunder by the Diftance of eleven Miles,
or thereabouts, and there furmounteth into a large Sea,
which, by reafon that the Land on every Side compaf-
feth it about, and lheltereth it from the Winds, is not
rough, nor mounteth not with great W aves, but almolt
floweth quietly, not much unlike a great Handing Pool ;
and maketh very near all the Space within the Belly of
the Land in manner of a Haven ; and, to the great Com¬
modity of the Inhabitants, received! in Ships toward*
every Part of the Land. The Forefronts, or Frontier®
of the two Corners, what with Boards and Shelves, and
what with Rocks, be jeopardous and dangerous. In
the middle Diftance between them both, ftandeth up
above the Water a great Rock, which therefore is no¬
thing perilous, becaufe it is in Sight. Upon the Top of
this Rock is a fair and ftrong Tower built, which they
hold with a Garrifon of Men. Other Rocks there be ly¬
ing hid under the Water, which therefore be dangerous.

Thf

44 Common- We ait*

2 he ci]a";iels b,e known only to themfelves : And there-
fore it ieldom chanceth that any Stranger, unlefs he be
guiued by an Utopian , can come into this Haven • info-
much that they themfelves could fcarcely enter without
jeopardy, but that their Way is directed and ruled by
certa; n Land-Marks Handing on the Shore. By turning
mandating, and removing the Marks into other Places’
they may deftroy their Enemies Navies, be they never

'VV'Tl 2rhe Outlide, or utter Circuit" of the Land, is
ano mil oi Havens, but the Landing is fo furely fenced
what by Nature and what fey Workrnanfhip of Mens
Hands, that a lew Defenders may drive back many Ar-
£ies* . Howbeit, as they fay, and as the Falhion of th«
Place itfeif doth partly Ihew, it was not ever compafled
about with the Sea. But King Utopus, whofe Name
as Conqueror, the Ifland beareth (for before this Time
it was called Jbraxa ) which alfo brought the rude and
W'lld People to that excellent Perfection in all good Fa¬
ctions, Humanity, and civil Gentlenefs, wherein they
now go beyond all the People in the World ; at his ar¬
riving and entering upon the Land, forthwith obtaining
the Victory, caufed fifteen Mile* Space of uplandilh
Ground, where the Sea had no Pailage, to be cut and
digged up ; and fo wrought the Sea round about the
Land. He fet to this W ork not only the Inhabitants of
this Ifland (becaufe they fhould not think it done in
Contumely and Defpite) but alfo all his own Sol¬
diers.

Thus the Work being divided into fo great a Number
of Workmen, was with exceeding marvelous Speed dis¬
patched ; inlbmuch that the Borderers, which at the firll
began to mock and to jell at the vain Enterprise, then
turned their Derifion to Marvel and to Fear, attheSuc-
cefs. There be in the Ifland fifty-four large and fair '
Cities, or Shire Towns, agreeing altogether in one
Tongue, in like Manner, Inftitutions, and Laws ; they
be all fet and fituate alike, and in all Point* faibioned
alike, as far as the Place or Plot fuffereth.

Of

tf V T O P I A. 45

Of thefe Cities they that be nigheft together, be
twenty-four Miles afunder. Again, there is none of
them diftant from the next above one Day’s ] ourney on
Foot. There come yearly to AmauroU , out of every
City, three old Men, wife and well experienced, there
to treat and debate of the common Matters of the Land.
For this City (becaufe it ftandeth juft in the midlf of the
Ifland, and is therefore moft meet for the Ambafladors
of all Parts of the Realm) is taken for the chief and head
City. The Precinfts and Bounds of the Shires be fo
conimodioufly appointed out, and fet forth tor the Cities,
that none of them all hath of any Side Sfj than twenty
Miles of Ground, and of fome Side alfo much more, as
of that Part where the Cities be of further Di dance blun¬
der. None of the Cities defire to enlarge the Bounds
and Limits of their Shires. For they count thentfeltes>
rather the good Husbands than the Owners of their
Lands. They have in the Country, in all Para of the
Shire, Houfes or Farms built, well appointed and fur-
niflied with all Sorts oflnftruments and Tools belonging
to Husbandry. Thefe Houfes be inhabited of the Citi-
ttens, which come thither to dwell by Courfe. No
Ho ulhold or Farm in the Country hath fewer than fifty
Perfons, Men and Women, befides two Bondmen, which
be all under the Rule and Order of the good Man and
good Wife of the Houfe, being both very fage, difcreet,
and ancient Perfons. And every thirty Farms or Fami¬
lies have one head Ruler, which is called a Philarch, be¬
ing as it were a head Bailiff. Out of every one of thefe
Families or Farms come every Year into the City twenty
Perfons, which have continued two Years before in the
Country. In their Place fo many frelh ones be fent
thither out of the City, who of them that have been
there a Y ear already, and be therefore expert and cun¬
ning in Husbandry, fhall be inftru£ted and taught. And
they the next Y ear fhall teach others.

This Order is ufed for Fear that either Scarcenefs of
Vi ctuals, or fome other like Incommodity fliould chance
through Lack of Knowledge, if they fliould be alto¬
gether

¥

ffv Common- W e a i, t

s

nCW -aad /le%. mAr unex?erc in Husbandry
. i aPnei and faihion of yearly changing and re-

,CrUpief °fHusbandr^ tho> it be folemnly

Tw f S n ? CrVel’ fo as to Slve no Man room to think
taat he lhall be conftramed againft his Will to continue -

long m tliat hard and iharp Kind of Life 3 yet many of
them have fuch a Pleafure and Delight in Husbandry,
that they clefire to continue therein for a longer Space of
X ears.ThereHusbandmen plough and till the Ground, and
oring up Cattle, and provide and make ready Wood,
which they carry to the City either by Land or Water ;
« is moft convenient. _ They breed a great Multitude
oi (..nickens, and that in a wonderful Manner : For the
Hem do pot fit upon the Eggs 3 but by keeping them
in a certain equal Heat, they bring Life into them, and
hatch them. The Chickens, as foon as they be come
out of the Shell, follow Men and Women jnftead of
Hens. They bring up very few or no Horfes, but thofe
they have are very fierce ones 3 and that for none other
Ufe or Purpofe but only to exercife their Youth in Riding
and Feats of Arms For Oxen be put to ail the Labour
ol Ploughing and Drawing 3 which they grant not to
be fo good as Horfes at a fudden Brunt, and (as we fay)
at p dead Lift 3 but yet they are of Opinion,- that Oxen
will endure and fuffer much more Labour, Pain, and
Hardfhip, than Horfe* will. And they think that Oxen
be not in Danger and fubject unto fo many Difeafes, and
that they be kept and maintained with much lefs Colt
and Charge 3 and finally, that they be good for Meat
when they be paft Labour. They fow Corn only for
Bread: For their Drink is either Wine, made of Grapes,
Apples or Pears, or elfe it is clear W ater 3 and many
times Meath made of Honey, or Liquorice fod in Wa¬
ter 3 for thereof they have great Store. And tho’ they
know for certain (for they know it perfefitly indeed)
how much Victuals the City, with the whole Country
or Shire round about it, doth fpend 3 yet they fow much
more Corn, and bring up much more Cattle, than ferveth
for their own Ule, parting the Overplus among their

Borderers.'

•^UTOPIA, 47

Borderers. Whatfoever neceflary Things be lacking in
the Country, all fuch Stuff they fetch out of the City ^
where, without any Exchange, they ealily obtain it of
the Magiftrates of the City. For every Month many
of them go into the City on the Holiday. When their
Harveft-day draweth near, and is at hand, then the Phil -
archs, which be the head Officers and Bailiffs of Hus¬
bandry, fend Word to the Magiftrates of the City, what
Number of Harveft-men is needful to be lent to them
out of the City. The which Company of Harveft-men
being ready at the Day appointed, almoft in one lair
Day diipatcheth all the Harveft-work.

Of the Cities , and namely Amaurote.

AS for the Cities, who fo knoweth one of them,
knoweth them all : They be all lo like one to an¬
other, as the Nature of the Place permitteth. I will de-
feribe to you one or other of them, for it maketh no
great Difference which ; but which rather than Amau~
rote ? Of them all this is the worthieft, and of moft Digni¬
ty : For the Relidue acknowledge it for the head City^
becaufe there is the Council-Houfe. Not to me any of
them all is better beloved than that wherein I lived five
whole Y ears together : The City of Amaurote ftandeth
upon the Side of a low Hill, in Faihicn almoft fqinre;
For the Breadth of it beginneth a little beneath the Top
of the Hill, and ftill continueth by the Space of two
Miles, until it cometh to the River of Anyder . The
Length of it, which lieth by the River's Side, is feme-
what more. The River of Anyder rifeth twenty-four
Miles above Amaurote out of a little Spring. But being
increafed by other frnall Rivers and Brooks that run into
it, and among the reft two pretty big ones, before the
City it is half a Mile broad, and further off broader ;
and forty Miles beyond the City it falleth into the Ocean.
By all that Space that lieth between the Sea and the City,

and certain Miles alfo above the City, the Water ebberh
and floweth fix Hour's together with a (wilt Tide.

G When

48 tfhc CoMMOK-*WBAtTa

VVhen tbeS.ea floweth in, for the Length of thirty Miles

![J. f?na\t"hC^,frv Wkh fak Water> and driveth back
• | C 1 , a!;er c^e lUver. And fomewhat further

it changeth the Sweettfefs of the frelh Water into Salt-

“ f • Lut.a 1‘ttle beyond that the River waxeth fweet,

Z runne? fo[rbr the City frelh and pleafant. And

d,ienbea eJ^eth> , and Soech back again, the frelh
\\ atei tollowerh it, almoft even to the very Fall of the

There s°ech,a Bridge over the River, made not
01 I lies or of Timber, but of Stone-Work, with o-or-

geous and fubftantial Arches, at that Part of the City
that is fartheft from the Sea • to the Intent that Ships
may pals along fore-by ail the Side of the City without
Let. i hey have alfo another Pviver, which indeed i»
no. very, great j hue it runneth gently and pleafantly ;

1L. riiCUl even out of the fame. Hill that the City
tuuictern upon, and runneth down a-llope thro’ the midiS
oi: the City into Anyder.

And becaufe it rifeth a little without the City, the
Amauritians have inclofed the head Spring of it with
crong Fences and Bulwarks, and fo have joined it to
Cue City. This is done to the Intent that the Water
^lOLixd not be flopped, nor turned away, nor poifoned,
h tneir Enemies ihould chance to come upon them.
h win tnence the Water is derived and conveyed down
in Channels of Brick divers Ways into the lower Baits
of the City. Where that cannot be done, by reafon
that tne lace: will not i after it, there they gather the
ivain-\v ater in great Ciflerns, which doth them as good
oervice. The City is compafied about with a high and
trnc.v Stone W all, lull of Turrets and Bulwarks. A dry
Jfltcn, but deep and bread, and over-grown with Bufhes,.
Enars and Thorns, gocth about three Sides or Quarters

the City , and- to the fourth Side the River itfelf
jervetn as a Jdtch. The Streets be appointed and fet
lon h very commodious and handfome, both for Carriage*
and alfo againft the Winds. The Houfes be fair and
goigeoufly built, and on the Street Side they are
joined together in a long Row thro5 the whole Street,

without

tf XJ T O P I A. 4 9

without tiny Partition or Separation. 1 no Selects
twenty Foot broad. On the bacK Side of the P^oiifco,
thro5 the whole Length of the Street, lie lai ge Gai dcn:>5
inclofed round about with the back. Part of the Streets.
Every Houfe hath two Doors, one into the Street, and
st back Door into the Garden. Thole Doors be made
with two Leaves, never locked nor bolted, iO eaihy^ ro
be opened that they will follow the leak Drawing or a
Finger, and (hut again alone. Whofoever will, may
go .in, for there is nothing within the Homes that is
private, or any Man’s own. And every tc ntn \ eat
they change their Houfes by Lot. ihey let great Store

by thei r Gardens. . . .

In them they have Vineyards, all manner Oi. Fruit,

Herbs, and Flowers, fo pleafant, fo well furnilhed, and
fo finely kept, that I never faw any thing moie fi useful,
nor better trimmed in any Place. Their Study and Di¬
ligence herein cometh not only of Pleafure, but alfo of
a certain Strife and Contention that is between Street
and Street, concerning the Trimming, Husbanding and
Furnifhing of their Gardens, every Man tor. nis own
Part. And verily, you fhall not lightly find in all the
City anything that is more commodious, cither for the
Profit of the Citizens, or for Pleafure. And therefore
it may feem that the firft Founder of the City minded
nothing fo much as thefe Gardens. For they fay, that
King Utopus himfelf, even at the firft Beginning, ap¬
pointed and drew forth the Plat-form oi the City into
this Fafhion and Figure that it hath now ; but the gal¬
lant Gam idling, and the beautiful letting forth of it,
whereunto he faw that one Man’s Age would not fufti.ee,
dm he left to his Pofterity. For their Chronicles, which
they keep written with all diligent Cirtumfpeftion, con¬
taining the Hiftory oi One thoufand Seven-hundred and
Sixty Years, even from the firft Conqueft of the Illand,
record and witnefs that the Houles in the Beginning
were very low, and like homely Cottages or poor Shep-
herd-houfes, made at all Adventures of every rude Piece
#4 Timber that came firft to Hand, with Mud Walls,

G % and

jo ftae Common- W e a l t h

,Roo% thatched over with Straw : But now
tae Houles be curtouily built, after a gorgeous and gal-
ant manner, with three Stones one over another. The
Cuthdes oi the Halls be made either of hard Flint, or of

a C1d 0I, cEe Brick, and the Infides be well-
lu e,n|thened Wlth 1 timber- Work. The Roofs be plain

n 4OVCi,Cd w!-th a certain Kind °f Plaifter, that is
ot no C.oft, and yet fo tempered that no Fire can hurt or

ilvt! °>r 1C» and 1C aIl° Withftandeth the Violence of the
H eather better than any Lead. They keep the Wind

out of their Windows with Glafs, which is much ufed
thc.c; and feme alfo with fine Linen Cloth, dipped in
il or Amber, and that for two Commodities : For by

, , ns more L’gH cometh in, and the Wind is

better kept out. -

*•

H

Oj the Magif rafts.

^ c;> thirty Families, or Farms, chufe for them-
i_j lelves yearly an Officer, which in their old Lan-
g u.ige is called the Syphogrtmt , and by a newer Name the

1 0i‘arcb- Every fen Syphegrants , with all their thirty Fa-
, to unvioi an 0 fleer, which was once called the
irambwe , now the chief Phi/arch. Moreover, as con¬
cerning t.ie Flection of the Prince, all the Syphcyrants.
w nidi be ui Number Two-hundred, be firft'fworn to
£.;U:C ' 1 111 wnom they think moil meet and expedient.

, neu, by a iecret Flection, they name as Prince one of
tnuie lour whom the People before named unto them.
P.oi out of they four Quarters oi the City there be four
chofen, out cl every Quarter one, to Hand for the Elec-
lion; which be put up to the Council. The Prince's
Lhcc continueth all ins Life-time, unlefs he be depofed
°f PQ down for Sulpicion of Tyranny. They chufe the
fra/iu/crcs \ early, but lightly they change them not.
Au the other Officers be but for one Year. The Tram-
teres every thud Day, and fometimes, if need be, oftner,
come into the Council-Houfe with the Prince : Their
Council is concerning the Common- Wealth. If there

be

of U T O P I A. 51

be any Controverfies among the Commoners, which be
very tew, they difpatch anc\ end them by and by. They
take ever two SyphogTCtnts to’ them in Council, and every
Day a new Couple. And it is provided, that nothing
touching the Common-Wealth, ihall be con fumed and
ratified,^ unlefs it have been reafoned of and debated
three Days in the Council before it be^ decreed It is
Death to have any Confultation for the Common- vv ea th
out of the Council, or the Place of the common Eleaion.
This Statute, they fay, was made to the Intent that the
Prince and franibcres might not ealily confpire together
to opprels the People by Tyranny, and to change the
State of the Weal Publick. Therefore Matters ot great
Weight and Importance be brought to the Eie&ion-
Houfe of the SyphogrtwtSy which open tne Matter to theiE
Families. And afterward, when they have confulted
among themfelves, then make Report to tue Coun¬
cil. Sometimes the Matter is brought before the Coun¬
cil of the whole Illand. Furthermore, this Cuftom alfo
the Council uleth, to difpute or reafon of no Matter the
lame Day that it is firft propofed or put forth, but to de¬
fer it to the next Sitting of the Council : Becaufe that no
Man, when he hath rafhly there fpoken whatfoever
eometh to his Tongue’s End, {hall afterward rather if udy
for Reafons wherewith to defend and maintain his firft
foolifh Sentence, than for the Commodity ot the Com¬
mon- Wealth ; as one rather willing the Harm or Hin¬
drance of the Weal Publick, than any Lofs or Diminu¬
tion of his own Eiteem ; and as one that would be a-
fhamed (which is a very foolifh Shame) to be counted
one who had overfeen any thing in the Matter at the
firft; who at firft ought to have fpoken rather wifely
than haftily, or rafhly.

* ^

Of Sciences , Graft sy and Occupations .

Husbandry is a Science common to them all in ge¬
neral, both Men and Women, and a Thing where¬
in they be ail expert and cun&ing. They be iaftru&ed

ff!-

tiC C O M M ON- W ft A L T H

in it'even frorarhdr Ycuth; partly in their Schools,

CoutK
not

i ' ■ , - . _ " . _ -■ - ^ » i aho

pracuhng it for the Exercife of their Bodies. Belides

Husbandry, which (as I laid) is common to them all,
every one of them learn eth one or other feveral and
particular Science, as his own proper Craft. That is
mod; commonly either Cloth- working in Wool or Flax,
or Mafonry, or the Smiths Craft, or the Carpenter's
Science: for there is none other Occupation that any
Number to foeak of doth ufe there. ' m ' 1 * •

For their Garments, which throughout all the Ifland
U'T °f one f afnion (faving that there is a Difference be-
t 'Cm the Man's Garment and the Woman’s, between
tne Married and the Unmarried) and this one conti-
nueth for evermore unchanged, feemly and comely to
the Eye, no Let to the Moving and Wielding of the
Body, alfo ft bodi for Winter and Summer: As for
thefe Garments (I fay) every Family maketh their own.
But of the ether forefaid Crafts, every Man learneth one:
And not only the Men, but alfo the Women. But the
Women, as the weaker Sort, be put to the ealier Crafts ;
as to. work Wool and Flax. The more labourfome
Sciences be committed to the Men. For the moll Part
every Man is brought up in his Father’s Craft: Formed:
commonly they be naturally thereto bent and inclined.
But it a Man’s Mind Hand to any other, he is by
Adoption put into a Family of that Occupation which
he doth moft fanfy : And not only his Father, but alfo
the Magiiirate do diligently look to that he be put to
a difereet and an honeib Houfholder. Yea, and if any
Perfon, when he hath learned one Craft, be defirous to
learn alfo another, he is likewife fuffered and permitted.
V, hen he hath learned both, he occupieth which of them
he will, uniefs the City hath more need of the one than
of the other. The chief and alrnoft only Office of the
•Syphogrants is, to fee and take heed, that no Man fit idle $
but that every one apply hie own Cr$ft with earneft Di¬
ligence.

tf UTOPIA,

lio-ence. And yet for all that not to be wearied from
early in the Morning to late in the Evening, with con¬
tinual Work, like labouring and toiling Beafts. For
this is worfe than the miferable and wretched Condition

of Bondmen. . ,

Which neverthelefs is almoft every where the Lire or
Workmen and Artificers, faving in Utopia. For they,
dividing the Day and the Night into Twenty-four juft
Hours, appoint and affign only Six of thofe Hours to
W'ork l Three before Noon, upon which they go ftrait to
Dinner : And after Dinner, when they have refled Two
Hours, " then they work Three Hours, and upon that
they go to Supper. Aoout Eight of the Ciocit in : re
Evening (^counting One or the ’c.lock the HritHo.r aa-vt*
Noon)Cthey go to Bed : Eight Hours they give to Sleep.
All the void Time that is between the Hours of Work,
Sleep, and Meals, that they be fuiTered to bellow every
Man as he liketh bell himfelf : Not to the Intent, that
they Ihould niis-fpend this Time in Riot, oh Slothful-
nefs, but, being then licenfed from the Labour of their
own Occupations, to bellow the Time well and thriftily
upon fome1 other Science, as Ihall pleafe them : for it is
a folemn Cuftom there to have Lectures daily early in
the Morning, whereat thofe only be confcrainetfto be
prelent that be chofen and appointed for Learning.
Howbeit, a great Multitude of every Sort of People,
both Men and Women, go to hear Le&ures, feme to
one, and fome to another, as every Man’s Nature is in¬
clined. Yet, ' notwithllanding this, if any Man had
rather bellow this Time upon his own Occupation, as it
cnanceth in many (whofe Minds rife not in the Contem¬
plation of any liberal Science) he is not letted nor pro¬
hibited, but is alfo praifed and commended, as profitable
to the Common-Wealth. After Supper they bellow one
Hour in Play : In Summer in their Gardens ; in Win¬
ter in their common Halls, where they dine and fup.
There they exercife themfelves in Muiick, or e Lie in
honefc and wholfome Communication. Dice-play, and
fuch other foolilh and pernicio

us Games they know not:

54 77* C O M M O N-W E A t T «

i ^ ^ 9 not much unlike the Chefs &

the one is tne Battle of Numbers, wherein one Numbe*

ftealeth away another ; the other is where Vices fight
with Virtues, as it were in Battle-array, or a fet Field.

ln.w“ Garne 13 very properly Ihewn, both the Strife
and. Ddcord that Vices have among themfelves, and
again their Unity and Concord againft Viriues ; and alfo
what Vices be repugnant to what Virtues ; with wbat
Power and Strength they aflail them openly • by what
VV lies and Subtlety they aftault them fecretly • with
what Help and Aid the Virtues refill and overcome the
Pniliance of the Vices ; by what Craft they fruit rate their
Purpofes ; and finally, by what Slight or Means the one
getteth the V ictory. But here, left you be deceived,
one Thing you muft look more narrowly upon. For
feeing they beftow but fix Hours on Work, perchance
you may think that the Lack of fome neceffary Things
hereof may enfue. But not at all : For that fmall Time
is not only enough, but alfo too much forthe Store and
Abundance of Things that be requifite, either for the
Neceffity or Commodity of Life. The which Thing
you alfo fhall perceive, if you weigh and confider with
yourfelves how great a Part of the People in other Coun¬
tries liveth idle. Firft, almoft all Women, which make
one Half of the whole Number • or elfe if the Women
be fomewhere occupied, then moft commonly in their
ftead the Men be idle. Befides this, how great and
how idle a Company is there of Priefts, and Religious
Men, as they call them ? Put thereto all rich Men, fpe-
cially all landed Men, which commonly be called Gen¬
tlemen and Noblemen. Take into this Number alfo
their Servants ; I mean, all that Flock of flout bragging
Rufhbucklers. Join to them alfo fturdy and valiant
Beg gars, who cloak their idle Life under the Colour of
fome Difeafe orSicknefs.

And truly you fhah find them much few@r than you
thought, by whcfe Labour all thefe Things are wrought,
that in Mens Adairs are now daily ufed and frequented.
Now conlider with yourfelf, of thefe few that do work,

hour

^UTOPIA, 55

how few be occupied in neceflary Works: For where
Money beareth all the Swing, there many vain and 1 li¬
ne rfluo us Occupations rnuft needs be ufcd to I'-ive only
for riotous Superfluity, and unhoneft Pleafure For the
fameMultitu.de that now is occupied in W ork, if they
were divided into fo few Occupations as the neceiiaiy
Ufe of Nature requireth, by io great Plenty ol Imngs
as then ol Neceffity would enfue, doubtleis tue liice^
would be too little for the Artificers to maintain their

Livings. ,

But if all thefe that be now bufied about unprofitable

Occupations, with the whole Flock of them that live
idly and flothfully, which confurne and waftc eveiy one
of them more of thefe Things that come by other Mens
Labour, than two of the Workmen themfelves do , it
all thefe, I fay, were fet to profitable Occupations, you
eafily perceive how little- Time would be enough, yea,
and tod much, to ftore us with all Things that may7 be
requiiite either for Neceffity or Commodity, nay , eveit
for Pleafure, it fo be that the fame Pleafure be but true
and natural. And this in Utopia the Thing itfetf maxctS^
manifeft and plain. For there in all the City, with tne
whole Country or Shire adjoining to it, fcarcely five-
hundred Perfons of all the whole Number of Men and

Women, that be neither too old nor too weak to work,
be licenfed and difeharged from Labour. Among them
be the Syphogrants (who, tho3 they be by the Laws ex¬
empt and privileged from Labour) yet they do not ex¬
empt themfelves, to the Intent that they may the rather
by their Example provoke others to W ork.

The fame Exemption from Labour do they alfo enjoy
to whom the people,1 perfuaded by the Commendation
df the Pi lefts, and (ecret Eleftion ol the Syphcgrants ,
have given a perpetual Licence from Labour to Lean ¬
ing. But if any one of them prove not according to the
Expeftation and Hope conceived of him,' he is forth¬
with plucked back to the Company ol Artificers. And
contrary-wife, and often it chanceth that a Handiciatt’s-
man doth fo earneftly bellow his vacant and (pare Horns

H

nt

5^ The Common-Weal t m

!baLherrin^ “r thro’. Di%fce & pronteth therein

moKd rnV^11 fr°m l'f ^nAy 0ccuPacion, and pro-
Cf ^mpany of the Learned. Out. of this Or-

01 °ie Learned be chofen Ambafiadors, Priefts Tra-

dSr'd ird finaily ;hPrince himfelt: Whom they in
] old i ongue call Earzarn, and by a newer Name

siaamus. * *

V srTne.rL-”fUeu°f the Pco?Ie’ beins nei*er idle, nor
yt occupied about unprofitable Exercifes, it mav be

ea.ny judged in how few Flours how much pood Work

cy t.teni may be done and difpatched, towards tbofe

niigi, tnat I have ipoken of This Commodity they

ab0V<^ any otheiS that in the molt Part of ne-
ceihny Occupations they need not work fo much as other
N ations do. For firll of all, the Building or Repairing
ox Houles requireth every where fo many Mens conti-
nuai i.ao°ur, becaufe that the unthrifty Heir fuffereth
the Louies that his Father built, in Continuance of Time
to tail in Decay : So that what he might have upheld with
Jittie Cod, his Succefifor is conllrained to build it anew
to hL great Charge. Yea, many times alfo the
Houie that flood one Man in much Money, another is
^ lo liiw-w. and dciicate a Mind that he fetteth nothin0*
v L j . and it being neglected, and therefore ihortly
lading into Ruin, he buildeth up another in another
Place with no lefs Coil and Charge.

But among the Utopians, where all Things be fet in
good Order, and the Common-Wealth in a good Stay,
it feldom chanceth that they chufe a new Plot to build
an Ploufe upon. And they do not only find ipeedy and
quick Remedies for prelent Faults, but alio prevent
them that be like to fall. And by this Means their
Houfes continue and lad very long with little Labour
and fmall Reparation s, infomuch that this Kind of W ork-
men fometimes have almoft nothing to do ; but that
they be commanded to hew Timber at home, and to
fquare and trim up Stones, to the Intent that if any
Work chance, it may the fpeedier rile. Now, Sir, in
their Apparel, mark, I pray you, how few Workmen

they

if UTOPIA. 75

they need. Firft of all, whilft they be at Work, they
be covered homely, with Leather, or Skins, that will
lait feven Years. "When they go forth abroad, they cafe
upon them a Cloak, which hideth the other homely Ap¬
parel. Thefe Cloaks throughout the whole Ifland, be
all of one Colour, and that is the natural Colour of the
Wool. They therefore do not only fpend much left
Woollen Cloth than is fpent in other Countries, but the
fame ftandeth them alfo in much lefs Colt: But Linen
Cloth is made with lefs Labour, and is therefore had
more in Ufe. In Linen Cloth only Whitenefs, and in
Woollen only Cleanlinefs is regarded. As for the Smal-
nefs or Fineneft of the Thread, that is nothing palled
for. And this is the Caufe wherefore in other Places
four or five Cloth Gowns ol divers Colours, and as many
Silk Coats be not enough for one Man. Yea, and if
he be of the delicate and nice Sort, ten be too few *
whereas there one Garment will ferve a Man mod com¬
monly two Years: For why Ihould he defire more?
feeing if he had them, lie ihould not be the better hapt
or covered from Cold, neither in his Apparel a Whit the
comiier. Wherefore, feeing they be all exercifed in
profitable Occupations, and that few Artificers in the
fame Crafts be fufficient, this is the Caufe that Plenty of
ail Things being among them, they do fometimes bring
forth an ‘innumerable Company of People to amend the
Highways, if any be broken. Many times alfo, when
they have no fuch Work to be occupied about, an open
Proclamation is made that they fhall bedow fewer Hours
in Work : For the Magiftrates do not exercife their Citi¬
zens againd their Wills in unneedrul Labours. For
why ? In the Inditution of the Weal-Publick this End is
only and chiefly pretended and minded, that what Time
rnay poffibiy be fpared from the neceffary Occupa¬
tions and Affairs of the Common- Wealth, the Citizens
Ihould withdraw from the bodily Service to the Liberty
of the Mind and Garnifhing of the fame. For herein
they fuppofe the Felicity of this Lite to confid.

H 2

Of

58

^ Common - WeAlth

Oj their Living, and mutual Converfation together.

^'XeTone1!!,1 deCLarc ho": the Ckh™ ■* them.

f p, " ,one to another ; what familiar Occupying
and Entertainment there is among the People andwhl

Pa !.,on they ufe in the Diftribution ol every T1W
1 ,rh’ ch<T C;.cy conliiteth of Families, the Families 2
commonly be made of Kindreds. For the Women
vhen they be married at a lawful Age, they go into
their Husbands Houfes. 6 * y g °

But the male Children, with all the whole male Off¬
ering, continue ft, 11 in their own Family, and be eo-

doteeior°A'ee f "ncicntel'l Father, unlefs he

, ■ ,?e‘ For Fhen *e next to him in Age is

placed in his room, But to the Intent, that the pre-

iuiba. Number of the Citizens fliould neither decreafe
nor above meafure mcreafe, it is ordained that no Fa-
, idy (which in every City be Six-thoufand in the whole
lehdes them of the Country) lhall at once have fewer
Jnldren of the Age ol fourteen Years, or thereabout
than ten, or more than iixteen • for of Children under

■ Age’ rno Number ,c™ be preferred or appointed,
ms focaiure or Number is eafily oblerved and kept,
L> putting tnem that in fuller Families be above the Num-
-ei, .into families of fmaller Increafe. But if Chance be
that in the whole City the Store increafe above the juft

p ,Fhey drereby fill up the Lack of other Cities.

But it lo be that the Multitude throughout the whole
Bland pais and exceed the due Number, then they chule
ou ot every City certain Citizens, and build up a Town
unuer their own Laws, in the next Land where the In¬
habitant, Miave much wafte and unoccupied Ground, re-
cei vmg aiio of the fame Country People to them, if they
v. ill join and dwell with them. They thus.joining and
dwelling together, do ealily agree in one Faftion of
Paving, and that to the great Wealth of both the Peo¬
ples : y or they fo bring the Matter about by their Laws,

* t t 1

that

'

UTOPIA. 59

rW rhe Ground which before was neither good nor pro-

one nor for the other , now fn&renc
i fruitful enough tor them both. But 11 txc iMijui
tancs of the Land will not dwell with them to be ordered
hv their Laws then they drive them out of thote bounds
S they have limited and appointed out icr them-

leAnd if they refill and rebel, then theym
ftffainll them. For they count this the moll jult Lade
o! War when any People holdeth a Piece or Ground
void and vacant to no good nor profitable Ufe, 1 keep
• (T 0[hers from theUle and Pofiefiicn ci it,^ wmch not
wfthftanding by the Law of Nature ought tnereol to e
nourilhed and relieved. If any Chance do fo nnich di-
minilh rhe Number in their Cities, that it cannot be fil d
ud again, without the diminiflnng of the ju.t Nun
of fire other Cities (which they lay chanced but twice
fince the Beginning of the Land, thro a great peftuent
Plague) then they fill and make up the Number with
Citizens. fetched out of their own foreign Towns- for
they had rather fuffer their foreign Towns to decay and.
penlh than any City of their own Ifiand t°be dimmilhed
But now again to the Converfauon of the Citizens

” Th! eSfas! faid, rvfah the Family. The Wives
be Minillers to their Husbands, the Children to their
Parents; and, to be lhort, the Younger to their Elders.
Every City is divided into lour equal. Parts or Quaiters.
In the midft of every Quarter there- is a Market-1 laee
of all Manner of Things: Thither tne \\ orks ol every
Family be brought into certain Houfes ; and every
Kind of Thing is laid up feverally m Barns or Store-
Houles. From hence the Father of every Family, or
every Houfnoider, fetcheth whatsoever he and FI is have
need of, and carrieth it away with him without Money,
without Exchange, without any Gage, Pawn, or Pledge.
For why lhould any thing be dented unto him . leemg
there is Abundance of all Things, and that it is not to
be feared left any Man will ask more than he needeth.

I)}t C ° M M O K-W E A t T H

moTe^bL^noue h' b' which* that ^ WOuld ask
tainly, in ail lin^ V r " fure never to la<*? Cer-

!-*ck doth c'auft Coi^TLfe t Fe m °f
riots Thing to furpif’ af gl°-

2d£ h* of Tbr°“6ht 7 of HcZ:

™>. «jf manner 5 foS-teS'^’ antwM

Fo.vl? that be Man’s Meat But firfl- t?m u* c *
Ordure rhfrprtf It. ! n , hrit the Filthmefs and

RiveJ witToi rheCran ^ aW^ in the inning

the fame P.-rnof 79!C^ 'n Places appointed meet for

in "killed FrT thence the Beafts be brought

men ^ ftp rbt ° ^ by the Hands of their Bond-

™en • ,i or they permit not their free Citizens to acniftl

off they Ain°kthC^llllnS °f?eafts’ thro’ theUfe where-

Katu? h l.vP fr7’, Ae gentIeft A^aion of our
ff ” }} 1 ' L ? and llKle to decay and peri ft. Nei-

th do thfy fuffer any thing that is filthy loathfome

oi uncleanly, to be brought into the City^’left the Air*

mfected and corrupted by the Stench thereof ftould

caufepeililennal Difeafes. Moreover, every Street hath

certain great and large Halls, fet at ’an eial Dito„~
one^from another, every one known by afeveral Name

If tV f 1 a' t ^f11 the fyphogrants. And to every one

Side^fifteen 4^ be aPpo^ted thirty Families, on either

Pnftr • U\Stuard8 of eve,y Ha'l, at a certain

H » oome into the Meat- Markets, where they receive
Me at according to the Number of their Halls. '

>ut chiefly, and fu ll: of all, R efpect is had to the Sick
hat be cured m the Hofpitals. For in the Circuit of
t.ic City, a lntle without the Walls, they have four
fpitals fo big, lo wide, lo ample, and lo large, that
they may feem tour little Towns, which were devifed of
that Bigncls, partly to the Intent that the Sick, be thev
sever lo many in Number, ftould not lie too throng or

ftrait.

tf UTOPIA. 6%

jftrait, and therefore uneafily and incommodioufly; and
partly, that they which were taken and holden with
contagious Difeafes, fuch as be wont fay Infe&iori to
creep from one to another, might be laid a- tar from the
Company of the R.elidue.

Thefe Hofpitals be fo well appointed, and fo furmfhed
with all Things neceflary to Health, and, moreover, fo
diligent Attendance, thro5 the continual Prefence of cun¬
ning Phyficians, is given, that tho no Man be . lent
thither againft his Will, yet notwithstanding theie is no
fick Ferfon in all the City that had not rather lie there
than at home at his own Ploule. When the Steward of
the Sick hath received fuch Meats as the Phyficians have
prefcribed, then the belt is equally divided among the
Halls, according to the Company of every one, faving
there is had a Refpeft to the Prince, the Bifhep, die
franibores, to Ambafladors, and ail Strangers, it there be
any, which be very few and feldom. but tney alio,
when they be there, have certain feverai Houles ap¬
pointed and prepared for them. To thefe Hails at tne
fet Hours of Dinner and Supper, cometh ail the whole
Syphogranty, or Ward, warned by theNoife ofa
brazen Trumpet, except fuch as be lick in the Hofpitals,

or elfe in their own Houles.

Howbeit, no Man is prohibited or forbid, after the
Halls be ferved, to fetch home Meat out of the Market
to his own Houfe ; for they know that no Man will do
it without a reafonable Caufe. For tho’ no Man be pro¬
hibited to dine at home, yet no Man doth it willingly,
becaufe it is counted a Point of Indecency. And it
were alfo a Folly to take the Pain to drefs a bad Dinner
at home, when they may be welcome to good and fine
Fare fo nigh hand at the Hall.

In this Hall, all vile Service, and all Slavery, with
all labourfome Toil, and Drudgery, and bafe Bufinels,
is done by Bondmen. But the YVomen of every family,
by Courfe, have the Office and Charge of Cookery, for
feething anddreffing the Meat, and ordering all Things
thereto belonging. They lit at three Tables, or more,

accord-

6z

the

Com mon - Weal t k

according to the Number of their Company; The Mef!
lit upon me Bench next the Wail, and the Women over-
againft .them on the other Side of the Table ; and if any
fudden Evil fhduld chance to them, as many times hap¬
pened! lO Women with Cniid, they may rife without
Trouble or Diiturbance of any body, and go thence into
the Nailery. I he Nurfes fit feverally alone with their
young Sucklings, in a certain Parlour appointed and de¬
puted to the fame Purpofe, never without Fire and clean
Water, nor yet without Cradles, that when they will
they may lay down the young Infants, and at their Plea-
lure take them out of their Swathing-cloaths, and hold
them to the Fire, and refrefh them with Play, Every
Mother is Nurfe to her own Child, unlefs either Death
or SicRnefs be the Let , w'hen that chanceth, the Wives
of the Syphogrants quickly provide a Nurfe. And that is
not hard to be done. For they that can do it, proffer
themfelves to no Service fo gladly as to that / becaufe
that there this Kind of Service is much praifed ^ and the
Child that is nurfed, ever after taketh his Nurfe for his
own natural Mother. Alfo among the Nurfes fit all the
Children that be under the Age of five Years. All the
other Children of both Kinds, as w'eil Boys as Girls,
that be under the Age of Marriage, do either" ferve at the
Tables, or elfe if they be too young thereto, yet they
ftand by with marvelous Silence. That which is given
to them from the Table, they eat, but have no other and
particular Dinner-Time. The Syphogrant and his\Vile
lit in the midft of the high Table, for as much as that is
counted me honourable!!: Place, and becaufe from thence
all the whole Company is in their Sight : For that Table
ftandeth overthvvart the upper End of the Hall. To them
be joined two of the moft ancient and eldeft : For at
every Table they fit four at a Mels. But if there be a
Church f inding in that Syphograntg\ or Ward, then the
Prieft and his VVife fittetli with the Syphogrant , as Chief in
the Company. On both Sides of them fit young Men,
and next unto them again old Men. And thus, through¬
out all the lioufe, thole of an equal Age, be let to¬
gether*

^UTOPIA. 6 5

gether, a nd yet be mixt and matched with unequal
Ages.

This, they fay, was ordained, to the Intent that the
fage Gravity and Reverence of the Elders lhould keep
the Youngers from wanton Licence of Words and Be¬
haviour : Forafmuch as nothing can be fecretly ipoken
or done at the Table, but either they that lit on the one
Side or on the other, mull needs perceive it. The Diihes
be not letdown in Order from the fird Place, but all
the old Men (whofe Places be marked with fome fpecial
Token to be known) be fird ferved of their Meat, and
then the Refidue equally. The old Men divide their
Dainties as they think bed,' to the younger on each Sidy
of them. Thus the Elders be not defrauded of their due
Honour, and neverthelefs equal Commodity comedy to
every one. They begin every Dinner and Supper with
the Reading of fomething that pertaiheth to good Man¬
ners and Virtue. But it is fhort, becaufe no Man fhall
be grieved therewith. Hereof the Elders take Occaliori
of honed Communication, but neither fad nor unpleafant.
Howbeit they do not fpend all the whole Dinner-time
themfelves with long and tedious Talk, but they gladly
hear alfo the young Men • yea, and purpofely provoke
them to talk, to the Intent that they may have a Proof
Of every Mail’s Wit, and Inclination or Difpolition to
Virtue, which commonly in the Liberty of Leading doth
fhew and utter itfelf. Their Dinners be very ihort, but
their Suppers be fomewhat longer, becauie that after
Dinner follow'eth Labour, after Supper Sleep and natural
Red, which they think to be of more Strength and Ef¬
ficacy to wholfome and healthful Digedion. No Sup¬
per is palTed without Muiick ; nor their Banquets wane
no Conceits, nor Junkets. They burn fweetGums and
'Spices or Perfumes, and pleafant Smells, and fprinkie
about fweet Ointments and Waters ; yea, they leave
nothing undone that maketh for the Cherilhing of the
Company. For they be much inclined to this Opinion,'
to think no Kind of Pleafure forbidden, whereof
cometh no Harm. Thus, therefore, and after this Sort,'

I they

2% £ Common- We a l t h

they live together in the City; but in the Country, they

\lUl d!A''e;,1 a.lone5 iar tr°m any Neighbours, do dine at
home m their own Houfes: For no Family there lacketh

any V mtuals, as from whom cometh all that the Citizens
eat and live by.

Of their Journeying, or ' Travelling abroad, with divers ether
Matters, cunningly reafoned, and wittily difetfed.

o d it any be delirous to vilit either their Friends
J dwelling in another City, or to fee the Place it-,
Nil, they ealily obtain Licence of the Syphcgrants and
Trambores, unlefs there be fome profitable Let. No Man
goeth out alone, but a Company is fent forth, together
with their Prince’s Letters, who'do teftify that they have
Licence to go that Journey, and preferibeth alio the
Lay ot their Return.

They have a Wain given them, with a common Bond-
man, which driveth the Oxen, and taketh Chartte of
them. But, unlefs they have Women in their Company,
they fend home the Wain again, as an Impediment and
Let. And tho’ they carry nothing forth with them, yet
in all their Journey they lack nothing: For wherefeever
they come, they be at home. If they tarry in a Place
longer than one Day, then there every one of them
falleth to his own Occupation, and be very gently en¬
tertained ot the Workmen and Companies of the fame
Crafts. It any Man, of his own Head, and without
Leave, walk out of his Precindt and Bounds, without
the Prince’s Letters, he is brought again for a Fugitive,
or Run-avvay, with great Shame and Rebuke, and is
lharply punilhed. It he be taken in that Fault again, he
is punilhed with Bondage. If any be delirous to walk,
abroad into the Fields, or into the Country that be-
longeth to the fame City that he dwelleth in, obtaining
the Good-will of his Father, and the Confent of his
Wife, he is not prohibited. But into what Tart of the
Country foever he cometh, he hath no Meat given him

until

of UTOPIA. b's

Mntil be has wrought out his Forenoon’s Task, or dit-
pattched fo much Work as there is wont to be wrought
before Supper. Obferving this Law and Condition, he
may go whither he will within the Bounds or his own
City : For he (hall be no lefs profitable to the City, than
if he were within it. Now you fee how little Liberty
they have to loiter , how they can have no Cloak or
Pretence to Idienefs. There be neither Wine-Taverns,
nor Ale-houies, nor Stews, nor any Occalion office
or Wickednefs, no lurking Corners, no Places of wicked
Counfels, or unlawful Aflemblies, but they be in the
prefent Sight, and under the Eyes of every Man. So
that of Necefiity they muft either apply to their ac-
cuftomed Labours, or elfe recreate themfelves with ho¬
ned: and laudable Paftimes.

This Fafhion and Trade of Life, being ufed among
the People, it cannot be chofen, but that they muft of
Neceffity have Store and Plenty of all Things. And fee¬
ing they be all Partners thereof equally, therefore can no
Man there be poor or needy. In Council ot Amaurotc ,
where, as I (aid, every City fendeth three Men a Piece
yearly, as loon as it is perfeSUy known of what Things
there is in every Place plenty, and again what Things
be fcanty in any Place, incontinently the Lack of the
one is fupplied and filled up with the Abundance ot the
other. And this they do freely, without any Benefit,
taking nothing again of them to whom the Things be
given ; and thofe Cities that have given of their Store to
any other City that lacketh, requiring nothing again of
the fame City, but take fuch Things as they lack, of
other Cities, to the which they gave nothing. So the
whole Iiland is as it were one Family or Houfhold.
But when they have made fufiicient Provifion of Store
for themfelves (which they do not think to have done,
until they have provided for two Years following, be-
eaufe of the Uncertainty of the next Year’s Proof) then
of thofe Things, whereof they have Abundance, they
carry forth into other Countries great Plenty, as Grain,
Honey, Wool, Flax, Wood, Madder, Purple-died

I z Fells,

66

O JC M O N- W HALT

MS f ^ J7X-

Fells, Wax, Tallow, Leather, and living Hearts Anr»

*“ at a reafouable and mea„“S. By t£fi33
IratRck or Merchandize, they bring Leo rhefr o,„

bn 3 alH'uch Thinffal ”ey Lclf ifhomf p-L"’

Jtlmoft nothing but Iron aL k < ’ ,whlch 1S

tf l *T.?iST3 nOW ** K*« rnoref Abundance
°f $cfe ?lngsr than any Man will believe.

^ °V\ f t leie*ore3 chey care not whether they fell for
ready Money or elfe upon Truft, to be Laid L a Dav
and co have the mo# Part in Debts. But in fo ioini

Aflurance' o W * of P'-ate Men, but thf

\ y alranty5 of the whole City by Inftru-

Wh?n The n ntUfSp ‘nade ^ thac Behalflccordingly.
Macn the Day of Payment is come and expired, the

m?etf ?erCth ? tbe Debt of the Private Debtors/ and
UiL , /Vnfi° ? .cornmon Box, and fo long hath the

demand rt^Th ^ H* *e 'their Creditors,

S™ ?! nl0ft Parc of ic the7 ^ver ask. For

Otlle?tofv hW CO the‘? u no Profic to take ic from
omers to whom it is prohtable, they think it no RDhc

mart i;0ndfCpenCeV ?UC J the C;lfe 'fo ftand? that they
mult lend I art of that Money to another People then

^ey re^otre thdr Debt i or when they have VF at. For

fi ! W V K Urp°[e °nly they keeP ac home all theTrea-
.Jlcb tuey have, to be holpen and fuccoured bv ic
c thci in extreme Jeopardies, or in hidden Dangers. But
t pecially and chiefly to hire therewith, and that fer un-
r aionable great : YV ages, ftrange Soldiers. For they

h,d ! athcr Puc Strangers in Jeopardy than their own
Country-men ; knowing that for Money enough their
Lnci UR., thenrtelves many times may be bought and fold,

t c.thi° Tmafon be fee together by the Ears among
them elves. For this Caufe they keep an ineftimablf
/ re?re- . But yet not as a Treafure: But fo they have
it and ufe it, as in good Faith I am afhamed to ihew,
killing thac my Word? IhaJl not be believed. And this

I have

cf UTOPIA. 67

I have more Caufe to fear, for that I know how difficult
and hard it would have been tor myfelf to believe the
fame, if another Man had told it me, and I not feen, it

with mine Eyes. .

For it mu ft needs be? that as far as a Thing is dilio-

nant and difagreeing from the Guife and Trade of the
Hearers, fo far ihail it be out of their Belief. Howbeit,
a wife and indifferent Efteemer of Things will not great¬
ly marvel, perchance, feeing all their other Laws and
Cuftoms do fo much differ from ours, it the Ufe aifo of
Gold and Silver among them be applied rather to their
own Falhions than to ours. I mean, in that they oc¬
cupy not Money themfelves, but keep it for that Chance,
which as it may happen, fo it inay be that it fhall never
come to pals. In the mean time. Gold and Silver,
w hereof Money is made, they do fo ufe, as none of them
doth more elieem it than the very Nature of die Thing

And then, who doth not plainly fee how much infe¬
rior it is to Iron ; as without the which Men can no
more live than without Fire and Water. Wnereas to
Gold and Silver, Nature hath given no Ufe for it that
we may not well lack, it that the Folly of Men had not
fet it in higher Eftimation for the Rarenefs fake. But on
the contrary Part, Nature, as a moft tender and loving
Mother, hath placed the beft and neceffary Things open
abroad; as the Air, the Water, and the Earth itfelf.
And hath removed and hid tartheft from us vain and un¬
profitable Things. Therefore, if thefe Metals among
them fhould be fait locked up in fome Tower, it might
be fufpected that the Prince and the Council (as the
People is ever foolilhly imagining) intended by fome
Subtlety to deceive the Commons, and to take fome
Profit of it to themfelves. Furthermore, if they Ihould
make thereof Plate, and fuch other finely and cunningly-
wrought Stuff, if at any Time they Ihould have Occaiion
to break it, and melt it again, therewidi to pay their
Soldiers Wages, they fee and perceive very well that

Men would be loth to part Ircm thofo Things that they

x onoe

6S Ths CoMMON-WfeAt T h

once began to have Pleafure and Delight in. To rented r
all this, they have found out a Means, which, as it is
agreeable to all their other Laws and Cuftoms fo it is
110111 ours, where Gold is fo much let by, and fo dili¬
gently kept, very far difcrepant and repugnant • and
foftietoie incredible, but only to them that be wife
For w hereas they eat and drink out of earthen and glafs
V etiels, which indeed be curioully and properly made
anu yet be ol very linall Value ; ol Gold and Silver they
maf Chamber-pots, and other Velfels that ferve for
mod vile Ufes, not only in their common Halls, but in
every Man’s private Houfe. Furthermore, of the fame
Metals they make great Chains, Fetters, and Gives,
Vs Herein they tie their Bondmen.

Finally, wholoever for any Offence be infamed, by
their Ears hang Rings of Gold , upon their Fingers they
wear Rings of Gold, and about their Necks Chains of
Gold; and, in Conclufion, their Heads be tied with
Gold. Thus, by all Means poffible, they procure to
have Gold and Silver among them in Reproach and In-
tamv. And thcfe Metals, which other Nations do as
grievoufly and forrowfully forego as in a Manner their
own Lives, if they lhould altogether at once be taken
lion, the Utopians^ no Man there would think thac he
had loft the Worth of one Farthing. They gather alfo
reavis by the Sea Side, and Diamonds and Carbuncles
upon certain Rocks, and yet they feek not for them •
but finding them by chance, they cut and poliih them!
And therewith they deck their young Infants : Which,
like as in the firft Years of their Childhood, they make
much and be fond and proud of fuch Ornaments, fo
when they be a little more grown in Years and Difcre-
tion, perceive that none but Children do wear fuch Toys
and 1 rifles, they lay them away even of their own
Shamefacedneis, without any Bidding of their Parents -
even as our Children, when they wax big, do call: away
Nuts, Brouches, and Puppets. Therefore thefe Laws
and Cuftoms, which be fo far different from all other
Nations, how divers Fantafies alfo and Minds they do

caufe.

of UTOPIA, 69

caufe, did I never fo plainly perceive as in the Ambafla-

dors of the Ancmolians. . ...

Thefe Ambafladors came to Amaurote , whint 1 wao

there. And becaufe they came. to treat ol great and
weighty Matters, thofe three Citizens a Piece out of
every Cicy were come thither before them. But all the
Ambafladors of the next Countries, which had been there
before, and knew the Faihions and Manners of the Uto¬
pians among whom they perceived no Honour given to
fumptuous Apparel 5 Silks to be contemned, o < a o
to be in famed and reproachful, were wont to came
thither in very ffomely and Ample Array. But the Am-
tnolians , becaufe they dwell far thence, and had very
little Acquaintance with them, hearing that they were a I
apparelled alike, and that very rudely and homeiy,
thinking them not to have the Things which they aid
not wear ; being therefore more proud than wile, ae~
termined in the Gorgeoufnels of their Appaiel to .prelent
very Gods, and with the bright Shining and Glittering
of their gay Cioathing to dazzle the Eyes ot the iilly

poor Utopians. ,

So there came in four Ambafladors, with one hun¬
dred Servants, all apparelled in changeaole Colours • the
nioft ot them in Silks , the Ambafladors themfelv es (Tor
at home in their own Country they were Noblemen) in
Cloath of Gold, w ith great Chains of Gold, w ith Gold
banging in their Ears, with gold Rings upon their Fin¬
gers, with Brouches and Aglets oi Gold, upon their
Caps, which glittered full of Pearls and precious Stones ;
to be Ihort, trimmed and adorned with all thole Things,
which among the Utopians were either the Puniilrment
of Bondmen, or the Reproach oi in tamed Perfons, or
elfe Trifles for young Children to play withal, there¬
fore it wrould have done a Man good at his Heart to
have feen how proudly they difplayed their Peacock’s
Feathers, how much they made ot their painted Sheatns,
and how loitily they let forth and advanced themfelves,

when they compared their gallant Apparel with the poor

Raiment

7°

utte Common- W k a l t h

Raiment of the Utopians. For all the People were fwarm-
ed forth into the Streets.

And on the other Side, it was no lefs Pleafure to con-

S^°f\mUCi the? WLerc dcceived> and how far they
miffed of their Purpofe, being contrary-ways taken, than

they thought they fliould have been. For the Eyes of

all the Utopians, except very few, which had been in

otner Countries, for fome reafonable Caufe, all that

Gorgeoufneis of Apparel feemed ffamefol and reproach-

., Imomuch that they molt reverently faluted the
vileft and molt abject of them for Lords; judging them
by their wearing of golden Chains to be Bondmen Yea *
you fhould have feen Children alfo, that had calf away
their Pearls and precious Stones, when they faw the like
lucking upon the Ambaffadors Caps, pointing and puff¬
ing their Mothers under the Sides, faying thus to them,
Loox, Mother, how great a Lubber doth yet wear

Pearls and precious Stones, as tho’ he were a little Child
again.

But the Mother, yea, and that ilCo in good Earn elf
Peace, Son, faith ffe, 1 think he is one of the Ambaf-
ladors Fools. Some found Fault at their golden Chains,
as to no Ufe nor Purpofe, being fo fmall and weak, that
a Bondman might eafily break them ; and again fo w ide
and large, that. when it pleafed him, he might calf them
off, and run away at Liberty whither he would.

But when the Ambafladors had been there a Day or
two, and faw fo great Abundance of Gold fo lightly
elteemed, yea, in no lefs Reproach than it was with them
m Honour ; and belides that there was more Gold in the
Chains and Gives ot one fugitive Bondman than all the
coftly Ornaments of them four was worth, they began
to abate their Courage, and for very Shame laid away
all drat gorgeous Array whereof they were fo proud.
And fpecially when they had talked familiarly with the
Utopians , and had learned all their Falliions and Opi¬
nions, For they marvel that any Man be fo fooliff as to
have Delight and Pleafure in the doubtful Glittering of

a little1

of U T O.P I A. 71

a little trifling Stone., which may behold any cfthe Stars,
or elfe the Sun itfelf.

Or that a Man is fo mad, as to count Iniuicd toe no-
bier for the fmaller or finer Thread of Vv ool, which
felf-fame Wool (be it now nevei fo fioe-fpun Thread])
a Sheep did once wear ; and yet was fhe all that Time
no other Thing than a Sheep. They marvel alio, that
Gold, which of its own Nature is a Thing fo improv¬
able, is now among all People in fo high Eninianon,
that Man himfelf, by whom, yea, and for the Ufe ot
whom, it is fo much fet by, is in much lefs Eftimatioit
than the Gold itfelf. Infomuch drat a lumpiih block¬
head Churl, and which hath no more Wit than an At s,
yea, and as full of Naught! nefs as of Fo'ly,. (hall have
neverthelefs many wile and good Men in Subjection ani
Bondage, only for this, becaufe he hath a great Heap of

Gold.

Which if it Ihould be taken from him by any For¬
tune, or by fome fubtle Wile and Cautele of the Law
(which no lefs than Fortune doth both raife up the Low,
and pluck down, the High) and be given to the molt
vile Slave and abjeCl Drivel of all his Houfhold, then
flhortly after he lhall go into the Service of his Servant,
as an Augmentation or Overplus betide his Money.

But they much more marvel at and deteft the Mad-
nefs of them, which to thofe rich Men, in whofe Debt
and Danger they be not, do give almoft divine Honours,
for none other Conlideration, but became they be rich ;
and yet knowing them to be fuch niggith Penny-fathers,’
that they be Pure as long as they live, not the Worth of
one Farthing of that Heap of Gold lhall come to them.
Thele, and fuch like Opinions, have . they conceived,
partly by Education, being brought up in that Common¬
wealth, whofe Laws and Cuftoms be far different from
thofe Kinds of Folly,1 and partly by good Literature and
Learning. For tho’ there be not many in every City,
which be exempt and difeharged of ail other Labours,
and appointed only to Learning, that is to fay, Inch in
whom even from their very Childhood they haye per-

V *4

/-

Ihe COMMON-W K At TM

ceived a lingular Towardnefs, a fine Wit, and a Mind
apr to good Learning j yet all in their Childhood be in-
io acted in Learning. And the better Part of the People,

J; , y}cn ani} VV omen> throughout all their whole Life,
oo bellow m Learning thofe fpare Hours, which we faid
t iey have vacant from bodily Labours. They be tauo ht
Learning in their own native Tongue : For it is both
copious in Words, and alfo pleafant' to the Ear: And
oar me Utterance ol a Man’s Mind very perfect and fure.
-x ne moil Part or all that Side of the World ufeth the
....i anguage, laving that among the Utopians it is fineft
aiy! puieit, and, according to the Diverlity of the Conn-
trie3, it is diverfly altered. Of all thefe Philofophers,
whole Names be here famous in this Part of the World
to us known, ^before our coming thither, not as much
as toe Fame of any of them was come among them. And
Jpt in Mulick, Logick, Arithmetick, and Geometry,
hc\\ e iound out in a manner all that our ancient Phi-
lofophers have taught. But as they in ail Things be al-
rnoil equal to our old and ancient Clerks, io our new

Logicians in lubtle Inventions have lar palled and pone
beyond them.

For they have not devifed one of all thofe Rules of
Redncfions, Amplifications, very wittily invented m
the fmall Logicais, wnich here our Children in every
I lace do learn, furthermore, they were never yet able
to find out the iecond Inventions: Infomuch that none
of them could ever fee Man himfclf in common, as they
call him, tho’ he be (as you know) bigger than ever
was any Giant, yea, and pointed to even as with a
Finger. But they be in the Courfc of the Stars and the
Alovings ol the heavenly Spheies very expert and cun¬
ning. Ihey have alfo wittily excogitated and devifed
Inilrumcms of divers Fafhions, wherein is exactly com-
pi emended and contained the Alovings and Situations of
the Sun, the Moon, and of all the other Stars, which
appear in the Horizon. But as for the Amities and De¬
tentions of tne Planets, and all that deceitful Divination
of the Stais, they never as much as dreamed thereof.

Rains,

^UTOPIA, 73

Rains, Winds, and other Courfes of Tempefts, they
know before by certain Tokens, which they have learned
by long Ufe and Obfervation. But of the Caufes of ail
thefe Things, and of the Ebbing and Flowing, and Sak-
nefs of the Sea, and finally of the original Beginning
and Nature of Heaven and ot the World, they hold
partly the fame Opinions that our old philosophers hold,
and partly as our Philofophers vary among themielves,
fo they alfo, whiift they bring new Reafons ot Things,
do diiagree from all them, and yet among tliemielves in

all Points they do not accord.

In that Philofophy which treateth of Manners and
Virtue, their Reafons and Opinions agree with ours.
They difpute of the good Qualities ot the Soul, of the
Body, and of Fortune : And whether the Name ot
Goodnefs may be applied to all thefe, or only . to the En¬
dowments and Gifts of the Soul. They reafon of Vir¬
tue and Pleafure : But the chief and principal Queftion is,
in what Thing, be it one or more, the Felicity ot Man
conlifteth. But in this Point they feem aitnoft too much
given and inclined to the Opinion of them which deiend
Pleafure, wherein they determine either all or the chiefeft
Part of Man’s Felicity to reft. And (which is more to
be marvelled ath the Defence of this fo dainty and deli¬
cate an Opinion they fetch even from their grave, fharp,
bitter and rigourous Religion. For they never difpute
of Felicity or Bleflednefs, but they join unto the R ea¬
fons of Philofophy certain Principles taken out of Reli¬
gion * without the which, to the Inveftigation of true
Felicity, they think Reafon of itfelf weak and imperfeSt
Thofe Principles be thefe and fuch like, That the Soul
is immortal ; and by the bountiful Goodnefs ot God or¬
dained to Felicity. That to cur Virtues and good
Deeds Rewards be appointed after this Life, and to our
evil Deeds Puniihments. Tho5 thefe be pertaining to
Religion, yet they think it meet that they ihonld be be¬
lieved and granted by Proofs of Reafon. But if thefe
Principles were condemned and difannulled, then with¬
out any Delay they pronounce no Man to be fo foolilh

K z which

74 2?^ C ommon-Weal Th

which would not do all his Diligence and Endeavour to
obtain Pleafure, be it right or° wrong, only avoiding
this Inconvenience that the lefs Pleafure fhould not be a
Let or Hindrance to the bigger • or that he laboured
not alter tnat 1 lealure which would bring after it Dit-
p leal m e, Grief and Sorrow.

For they judge it extream Madnefs to follow fharp
and painful Virtue, and not only to banilh the Pleafure
of Lne, I'Ut alfo willingly to fuffer Grief, without any
Hope of Profit thereof enfuing. For what Profit can
Liiere be, it a Man, when he hath palled over all his
Lite unpleafantly, that is to fay, miferably, fhall have
1:0 Repaid after his Death? But now, Sir, they think
not Felicity to ccnlift in all Pleafure, but cnly'in that
Pleafure that is good and h on ell, and that hereto, as to
1 erleci Bldledncis, our Nature is allured and drawn
e\en of v irtue, whereto only they that be of the con¬
trary Opinion, do attribute Felicity. For they define
Virtue to be Life ordered according to Nature, and that
ye be hereunto ordained of God. And that he doth
follow the Courfie of Nature, which in ddiring and re^
Filing Filings is ruled by Reafon. Furthermore, the
R.eafon doth chiefly and principally kindle in Men the
Love and Veneration of the divine Majefty. Of whole
Goodnefs it is that we be, and that we be in Polhbility
to attain Felicity. And that fecondarily it both flirreth
and provoketh us to lead our Life out' of Care in Jov
&nd Mirth ; and alfo moveth us to help and further all
others in Rdpect of the Society of Nature, to obtain
and enjoy the fame. For there was never Man fo
carnclf and painful a Follower of Virtue, and Hater of
Pleafure, that would fo enjoin you Labours, Watch¬
ings and Fallings, but he would alfo exhort you to Eafe,
lighten, relieve to your Power, the Lack and Mifeiy of
others, praiiing the lame as a Deed of Humanity and
Pity. For if it be a Point of Humanity for Man to
bring Health and Comfort to Man, and fpecially (which
is a V irtue molt peculiarly belonging to Man) to miti-
;are aud aflwagc the Grief of others, and by taking

from.

8

^UTOPIA. 75

from them the Sorrow and Heavinefs of Life, to reftore
them to foy, that is to fay, to Pleafure ; why may it
not then be laid, that Nature doth provoke every Man
to do the fame to himfelf > For a joyful Life, that is to
fay, a pleafant Life, is either evil } and if it be fo, then
thou fliouldeft not only help no Man thereto,^ but rather
as much as in thee lieth, withdraw all Men from it, as
noifome and hurtful, or elfe if thou not only mult, but
alfo of Duty art bound to procure it to others; why net
chiefly to thyfelf, to whom thou art bound to Ihew a#
much Favour and Gentlenefs as to others ? For when
Nature biddeth thee to be good and gentle to others,
(he commandeth thee not to-be cruel and ungentle to
thyfelf. Therefore even very Nature, fay they, pre-
feribeth to us a joyful Life, that is to fay, Pleafuie, ao
the End of all our Operations. And they define Virtue
to be Life ordered according to the Prefcript of Nature.
But in that, that Nature doth allure and provoke Men
to help one another to live merrily (which furely the
doth not without a good Caufe; for no Man is fo far
above the Lot of Man’s State or Condition, that Nature
doth cark and care for him only, which equally fa¬
voured! all that he comprehended under the Communion
of one Shape, Form and Pafhionj) verily lhs commandeth
them to uie diligent Circumlpe&ion, that thou do not
feek for thine own Commodities, that thou procure
others Incommodities. W herefore their Opinion is,
that not only Covenants and Bargains made among pri¬
vate Men, ought to be well and faithfully followed, oo-
ferved, and kept, but alfo common Laws, which eitnei
a good Prince hath juftly publifhed, or elfe the People,
neither opprelied with Tyranny, nor deceived by Fiaud
and Guile, hath by their common Confent conftituted
and ratified, concerning the Petition of the Commodity
of Life, that is to fay, the Matter of Pleafure.

Thefe Laws not offended, it is W ifdom that thou
look to thine own W ealth. And to do the fame for
the Common-Wealth is no lefs than thy Duty, it thou

bearell any reverent Love, or any natural 2'-eal and

&$CcUon

7 6 jTlOi G O M M O N - W E A L T H

A lie & on ro thy native Country. But to go about to Jet
another Man ot his Pleafure, whilft thou procured: thine
own, that is open W rong. Contrary-wife, to withdraw
something from thyfelf, to give to others, that is a
1 oint ot Humanity and Gentlenefs ; which never taketh
away fo much Commodity, as it bringeth again. For it
i? i ecompenced with the Return of Benefits, and the
Confcience of the good Deed, with the Remembrance
oi the tnankiul Love and Benevolence of them to whom
thou hail done it, doth bring more Pleafure to thy Mind
than that which thou half with-holden from thyfelf
could have brought to thy Body. Finally (which to a
godly diipofed and a religious Mind is eafy to be per¬
suaded) God recompsnfeth the Gift of a Short and linall
Pleafure with great and everlafting jQy.

Therefore, the Matter diligently weighed and confi-
dered, thus, they think, that all our Actions, and in
them the Virtues themlelves, be referred at the laft to
Pleafure, as their F.nd and Felicity. Pleafure they call
every Motion, and State of the Body or Mind, wherein
Man hath naturally Delegation. Appetite they join to
Nature, and that not without a good Caufe. For like
as not only the Senfes, but alfo right Reafon, coveteth
whid'oever is naturally pleafant, fo that it may be gotten
without Wrong or Injury, nor letting or debarring a
greater Plealure, nor cauling painful Labour, even fo
thole Things, that Men, by vain Imagination, do feign
againft Nature to be pleafant (as tho’ it lay in their
Power to change the Things, as they do the Names of
Things) ail fuch Plcalures they believe to be of fo final!
Help and Furtherance to Felicity, that they count them
a great Let and Hindrance. Becaufe, that in whom they
have once taken Place, all his Mind they poflefs with a
1 dfe Opinion ol Pleafure : So that there is no Place left
ior true and natural Delectations.

For there be man v Things which of their owif Na-
ture contain noFleafantnefs • yea, the molt Part of them
much Grief and Sorrow: And yet, thro5 the perverie
and malicious flickering iati cement of lewd and un-

. honeit

^UTOPIA. 77

honed Defires, be taken not only for fpecial and fo-
veiei-m Pleafures, but alfo be counted among the chief
Caufes of Life. In this counterfeit Kind of Pleafure
they put them that I fpake of before. \\ hich the betcei
Gowns they have on, the better Men they think them¬
felves. In the which Thing they do twice err. For
they be no lefs deceived in that they think their Gowns
the better than they be, than in that they think them-
felves the better.

For if you coniider the profitable Ufe of the Garment,
why Ihould Wool of a finer fpun Thread be thought bet—
ter than the Wool of a coarfe fpun Thread? Yet they,
as tho’ the one did pafs the other by Nature, and not by
their miftaking, advance themfelves, and think the Price
of their own Perlons thereby greatly increafed. And
therefore the Flonour which in a coarfe Gown tney dm it
not have looked for, they require, as it were of Duty,
for their finer Gown’s fake . And if they be palled with¬
out Reverence, they take it difpleafantly and difdain-
fully. And again, is it not alike Madnefs to take a
Pride in vain and unprofitable Honours ? For what na¬
tural or true Pleafure doeft thou take of another Man’s
bare Head, or bowed Knees ; Will this eafe the Pain of
thy Knees, or remedy the Phrenfy of thy Head ? In this
Image of counterfeit Pleafure, they be of marvellous
Madnefs, which, for the Opinion of Nobility, rejoice
much in their own Conceit. Becaufe it was their For¬
tune to come of fuch Anceftors whofe Stock of long
Tune had been counted rich (for now Nobility is no¬
thing elfej) fpecially rich in Lands. And tho’ their An-
ceflors left them not one Foot of Land, or elfe they
themfelves have pilled it againft the Walls, yet they think
themfelves not the lefs noble therefore of one Hair. In
this Number alfo they count them that take Pleafure and
Delight, as I faid, in Gems and precious Stones, and
think themfelves almoft Gods if they chance to get an
excellent one, fpecially of that Kind which in that Time
of their own Countrymen is had in bsgheft Eftimation.

7^ 7 he Common- Wealth

For one Kind of Stone keepeth not his Price Hill in
all Countries, and at ail Times. Nor they buy them
not, but taken out of the Gold, and bare, no, nor fo
neither, until they have made the Seller to fwear that he
wiil warrant and allure it to be a true Stone, and no
counterfeit Gem. Such Care they take left a counterfeit
Stone fhould deceive their Eyes inftead of a right Stone.
But why lhouldeft thou not take as much Pieafure in be-*
holding a counterfeit Stone, which thine Eye cannot
difcern from a right Stone ? They fhould both be of like
Value to thee, even as to the blind Man.

W hat fhall I fay of them that keep fuperfluous Riches,
to take Delegation only in the beholding, and not in
rhe Ufe or Occupying thereof? Do they take true Piea¬
fure, or elfe be they deceived with falfe Pieafure ? Or
of them that be in a contrary Vice, hiding the Gold
which they fhall neither occupy, nor perad venture never
fee any more : And whilft they take Care left they fhall
lofe, do lofe it indeed. For what is it elfe, when they
hide it in the Ground, taking it both from their own
Ufe, and perchance from all other Men’s alfo ? And yet
thou, when thou haft hid thy Treafure, as one out of all
Care, hopeft for Joy. The which Treafure, ifitfhould
chance to be fto'len, and thou ignorant of the Theft,
fhouldeft die ten Years after, all that ten Years thou
livedft after thy Money was ftolen, what Matter was it
to thee, whether it had been taken away, or elfe fafe as
thou lefteft it? Truly, both Ways like Profit came
to thee. To thefe fo foolifh Pleafures they join Dicers,
whofe Madnefs they know by Hear- fay, and not by Ufe.
Hunters alfo, and Hawkers.

For what Pieafure is there, fay they, in calling the
Dice upon a Table? Which thou haft done fo often, that
if there were any Pieafure in it, yet the frequent Ufe
might make thee weary thereof. Or what Delight can.
there be, and not rather Difpleafure, in hearing the
Barking and Howling of Dogs? Or what greater Plca-
fure is there to be felt when a Dog follovveth an Hare,
than when a Dog foiloweth a Dog? For one Thing is

done

cf u T O P I A. 79

done in both, that is to fay, running, if thou haft Plea-
fare therein. But if the Hope of Slaughter, and the Fx-
pe Station of tearing in Pieces the Beaft, doth pleafe thee ;
thou fhouldeft rather be moved with Pity to fee a li ly
innocent Hare murdered of a Dog ; tneWeax ot the
Stronger, the Fearful of the Fierce, the Innocent of the
Cruel and Unmerciful. Therefore all this Exercife of
Hunting, as a Thing unworthy to be ufed of free Men,
the Utopians have rejected to their Butchers, to the which
Craft, as we faid before, they appoint their Bondmen.
For they count Hunting the lowed, the vileft, and molt
abject Part of Butchery, and the other Parts of it more
profitable and more honed, as bringing much more
Commodity, in that they kill Beafts only foi Isecef*

Hcv. ~.

Whereas the Hunter feeketh nothing but Pleafure of

the filly and woful Beall's Slaughter and Murder. Tne
which Pleafure in beholding Death, they think doth rile
in the very Beads, either of a cruel Aueclion or Mind^
or elle to be changed in Continuance of lime Into
Cruelty, by long Ufe ol fo creel a Pleafure. Thefe
therefore, and all fuch like, which be innumerable,
tiio’ the common Sort of People dotii take tliem tor Plea-
fures, yet they feeing there is no natural Pleafantnels in
them, do plainly determine them to have, no Affinity
with true and right Pleafure. For as touching tnat they
do commonly move the Senfe with Delectation (which
feemeth to be a Work of Pleafure) this doth nothing dD
minilh their Opinion. For not the Nature of the Thing,
but their perverfe and lewd Cuftom is the Caufe hereof.*
Which caufeth them to accept bitter or fewer Things for
fweet Things. Even as W omen with. Child in their vi¬
olated and corrupt Tafte, think Pitch and Tallow tweeter
than Honey, Howbeit, no Man’s Judgment depraved
and corrupt, either by Sicknefs or by Cultom, can change
the Nature of Plea rure, more than it can do the Nature
of other Things. They make divers Kinds of Plea mu es.
For feme they attribute to the Soul, and tome to the
Body, To the Soul they give Intelligence, and that

L Deleft**

8o

Itc Common- W e a l t h

Trutlfan°n that C°meth of the Contemplation of

Hereunto is joined the pleafant Remembrance of the
good Life paft. The Pieaiure of the Body they divide
into two Parts. The firft is, when Delectation is fen-

hbly tck and perceived, which many times chanceth by
me renewing and refrelhing of thofe Parts which our
natural Heat dneth up. This cometh by Meat and
Drink; And fomenmes, whilit thofe Things be ex-
pulled and voided whereof is in the Body over-great
Abundance. This Pleafure is felt when we do our na¬
tural Eaiement, or when we be doing the Aft of Gene-
l-ation, or when the Itching of any Part is eafed with
Kudo mg or Scratching. Sometimes Pleafure rifeth ex¬
hibiting to any Member nothing that it defireth, nor
taking from it any Pair, that it feeleth, which neverthe-
ieis tickleth and moveth our Senfes w'ith a certain fecret
Bmcacy, but with a manirelt Motion turneth them to it:
As is that which cometh from Mufick. The fecond Parc
of bodily Plfeafure, they fay, is that which confifleth
and refteth in the quiet and upright State of the Body:
And that, truly, is every Man’s own and proper Health,
intermingled and diiturbed with no Grief. For this, if

nor ailaulced with no Grief, is de-
le Stable of irleh, tho* it be moved with no external
or outward Pleal'ure. For tho’ it be not fo plain and
in an i felt to the Senfe, as the greedy Luft of Eating and
Drinking, yet neverthelefs many take it for the chiefeft
Pleafure. All the Utopians grant it to be a right fo-
vereign Pleafure, and, as you would fay, the Founda¬
tion and Ground ci all Plealures, the which even alone is
able to make the State and Condition of Life dele&able
and pleafant: And it being once taken away, there is
no Place lek for any Pleafure. For to be without Grief

not having Health, that they call Infenlibility, and not
Pleafure.

The Utopians have long ago reje&ed and condemned
the Opinion of them, which laid, that ftedfaft and quiet
Health (for this Queltion alio hath been diligently de¬
bated

V

of UTOPIA. s . 8 1

bated among them) ought not therefore to be counted
a Pleafure, becaufe they lay it cannot be prefentiy and
fenlibly perceived and felt by fome outward Motion.
But oi the contrary Part, now they agree almoft allfia
this, that Health is a molt fovereign Pleafure. For fee-
ing that in Sicknefs, fay they, is Grief, which is a mor¬
tal Enemy to Pleafure, even as Sicknefs is to Health,
why Ihould not then Pleafure be in the Quietnefs of
Health ? For they fay it maketh nothing to this Matter,
whether you fay that Sicknefs is a Grief, or that in Sick¬
nefs is Grief j for all cometh to one Purpofe.

For whether Health be a Pleafure itfelf, or a necef-
fary Caufe of Pleafure, as Fire is of Pleat, truly both
Ways it followeth, that they cannot be without Pleafure
that be in perfect Health. Furthermore, when we eat,
fay they, Health, which began to be appaired, fighteth,
by the Help of Food, againft Plunger. In the which
Fight, whilft Health by little and little getteth the upper
Hand, that fame Proceeding, and (as we would lay)
that Onwardnefs to the wonted Strength, miniftreth that
Pleafure whereby we be fo refrelhed. Health, there¬
fore, which in the Conflict is joyful, fhall it not be
merry when it hath gotten the Victory * But as loon as
it hath recovered the priftinate Strength, which Thing
only in all the Fight is coveted, Frail it incontinently
be aftonied? Nor ihall it not know nor embrace its own
Wealth and Goodnefs? For where it is faid Health can¬
not be felt, this, they think, is nothing true. For what
Man walking, lay they, feeleth not himlelf in Health,
but he that is not? Is there any Man fo poriefled with
ftonilh Infenfibiiity, or with Lethargy, that is to fay,
the deeping Sicknels, that he will not grant Health to
be acceptable to him, and deleSlable? But what other
Tiling is Delegation than that which by another Name
is called Pleafure. They imbrace chiefly the Pleafures
ot the Mind: For them they count the chiefeft and molt
principal of all. The chief Part of them they think doth
€orne of the Exercife of Virtue and Confidence ot good
Idfe. Ot there pleafures that the Body miniftreth., they

L z • give

8a

Toe CoMMON-W E A L TM

give the Pre-eminence to Health. For the Delight of
Eating and Dunking, and whatfoever hath any like
Plealantnefs, they determine to be Pleafures much to be
djfflmd, but no otherwtfe than tor Health’s fake. For
iucn Ihmgs of their own proper Nature be net fo plea-
lunt, but m tn.it they teitit Sickneis privily ftealtng on \
Therefore, like as it is a wife Man’s Part, rather to
oid Sicknefs, than to with for Medicines, and ra<-
tr.er to drive away and put to Flight careful Griefs,
tnan to call for Comfort ; fo it is much better not to
need this Kind or Pleafure, than thereby to be eafed of
the contrary Grief. The which Kind of Pleafure, if any
IV. an take it tor his Felicity, that Man muft needs grant,
that then he Avail be in moft Felicity, if he live that
Life, which is led in continual Hunger, Thirft, Itch¬
ing, Eating, Drinking, Scratching, and Rubbing. The
which Life, how not only foul and unhoneft, but alfo
how miferable and wretched it is, who perceiveth not?
Thefe, doubtlefs, be the bafeft Pleafures of all, as im¬
pure, and imperfect:. For they never come but accom¬
panied with their contrary Grief; : As with the Pleafure
ct Eating is joined Hunger, and that after no very equal
Sort. For of thefe two, the Grief is the more vehement,
and alfo oi longer Continuance. For it beginneth be¬
fore the Pleafure, and endeth not until the Pleafure die
with it. Wherefore Inch Pleafures they think not greatly
to be fet by, but in that they be neceflary. Howbeir,
they have Delight all'o in thefe, and thankfully acknow¬
ledge the tender Love of Mother Nature, which with
molt pleafant Delectation allureth her Children to That
to the neceflary Ufe whereof they muft from Time to
T- hue continually be forced andJ driven. For how
wretched and miierable fncuid our Life be, if thefe daily
Grids of Hunger and Thirft could not be driven away,
but with bitter Potions and fower Medicines, as the
other Difeafes be, wherewith we be feldomer troubled ?
But Beauty, Strength, Nimblenefs, thele as peculiar and
pleafant Gifts of Nature, they make much of. But thofe
Pleafures that be received by the Ear's, the Eyes, and

(UTOPIA. 83

the Note, which Nature wiileth to be proper and pecu-
li<ir ro Man (for no other living Creature doth behold
he Fairnefs and Beauty of the World, or is moved with
anv Refpect of Savours, but only for the Diveriity ol
Meats, neither perceiveth the concordant and difcoidant
Diftances of Sounds and Tunes) thefe Plealures,. 1%,
they accept and allow as certain pieaiant Rejoicings oi
Life. But in all Things this Cautele they uie, that a lefs
Pleafure hinder not a bigger, and that die 1 realure be
no Caufe of Difpleafure, which they trunk to follow of
Neceffity, if the Pleafure be unhoneft. But yet to de-
foife the Comlinefs of Beauty, to wafte the bodily
Strength to turn Nimblenefs unto Slothimnels, to con-
fume and make feeble the -Body w ith Fading, to. do In-
rury to Health, and to rejeft the pieaiant Motions of
Nature, unlefs a Man negleft thefe Commodities, whilft
he doth with a fervent Zeal procure the W eatery oi
others or the common Profit, for the which Plealur®
forborne, he is in Hope of a greater Pleafur# at God’s
PJand ; elfe for a vain Shadow 01 Virtue, tor the *y ealth
and Profit of no Man, to punith himiea, or to me In¬
tent he may be able couragioufly to kther Auveriity,
which perchance (hall never come to him; veis^to do
they think is a Point or extream , and a l oxen

of a Man cruelly minded towards himielf, and unkind
towards Nature, as one fo difd lining, to be inker Dan-
ger? tli3.t he renounceth &nd iciulctn. tid hci EcUctito.
This is their Sentence and Opinion or Virtue and 1 ica-
fure. And they believe that by Man’s Reafon none can
be found truer than this, unlefs any godner be inipiied
into Man from Heaven. Wherein, whether they be¬
lieve well or no, neither the Time doth fuller us to dii-
cufs, neither is it now neceffary. For we have taken
upon us 'to ihew their Laws and Ordinances, <md not to
defend them. But this Fhing I believe veiily, howfo-
ever thefe Decrees be, that there is in no Place in the
World, neither a more excellent People, neither a more
flourifhing Common- Wealth. They be light and quick
ef Body, full of Activity and Nimble net, and of more

‘ Strength

'ltie

Common - W eal th

Strength, than a Man would judge them by their Stature,
win Ji for all that is not too low. And tho’ their Soil be

• t uuiuL> nor their Air very wholfome vet
^ramTJ the Air,.chey fo defend themfelves with tempe-
Liet> and fo order and husband their Ground with
ail gent Travel, that in no Country is greater Increafe

j 1 ?le^% ol Corn and Cattle, nor Men’s Bodies of

hnger Lue’ and !ubje& or apt to fewer Difeafes.
J nere, therefore, a Man may fee well and dilio-entlv
expiated and f urmfhed, not only thofe Things which
Husbandmen do commonly in other Countries, as bv
Crait and Cunning to remedy the Barrennefs of the
Ground, but alio a whole Wood by the Hands of the
i eople plucked up by the Roots in one Place, and fet
again m another Place. Wherein was had Regard and

Confideration, not of Plenty, but of commodious Car-

riage3 mat Wood and Timber might be nigher to the
-er, or the Rivers, or the Cities. For it is lefs Labour
and Buiinefs to carry Grain far by Land, than Wood,
i ne People be gentle, merry, quick and fine witted,
delighting in Quietnefs, and, w hen Need requireth, able
to abide and fuller much bodily Labour. Life they be
not greatly delirous and fond of it : But in the Exercife
arid Study .of the Mind they be never weary. When
tney had heard me (peak ol the Greek Literature, or Learn-
ing (for in Latin there was nothing that I thought they
would greatly allow, beiides Idillories and Poets) they
made wonderful Earned and importunate Suit unto me
that I would teach and inilruct them in that Tongue and
Learning. I began therefore to read urfto therrg at the
fird, truly, more becaufe I would not feem to refufe
the Labour, than that I hoped that they would any Thing
prodt therein. But when I had gone forward a little,

I perceived incontinently, by their Diligence,* that my
Labour (hould not be bellowed in vain. For they be- •
gan fo ealily to falhion their Letters, fo plainly to pro¬
nounce tneir W ords, fo quickly to learn by Heart, and
fo furely to rehearfe the fame, that I marvel at it, laving
that the moil Fart of them were fine and chofea Wits,

and

' tf UTOPIA. 85

and of ripe Age, picked out of the Company of the learn¬
ed Men, which not only of their own free and volun¬
tary Will, but alfo by the Commandment of the Council,
undertook to learn this Language. Theretore, in iefs
than three Years Space there was nothing in the Greek
Tongue that they lacked : They were able to read good
Authors, without any Stay, if the Book were not fa He.
This Kind of Learning, I fuppofe, they took fo much
the fooner, becaufe it is fomewhat alliant to them! For
I think that this Nation took their Beginning from the
Greeks , becaufe their Speech, which in all other Points is
not much unlike the Per ft an Tongue, keeping divers
Signs and Tokens of the Greek Language in the Names
of their Cities, and of their Magiftrates. They have of
me (for when I was determined to enter on my fourth
Voyage, I call into the Ship inftead of Merchandize a
pretty Fardle of Bodks, becaufe I intended to come again
rather never than fhortly) they have, I fay, of me the
moft Part of Plato's Works, more of Arifiotles , alfo
fhecphrajhis of Plants, but in divers Places (which I am
forry for) imperfeft. For whilft they were on Ship
board, a Marmofet chanced upon the Book, as it was
negligently laid by, which wantonly playing therewith,
plucked out certain Leaves, and tore them in Pieces.
Of them that have written the Grammar, they have only
Lafcaris . For fheodorus I carried not with me, nor never
a Di&ionary, but Hejicbius , and Diofcorides . They fee
great Store by Plutarch's Books. And they be delighted
with Lucian's merry Conceits and Jefts. Of the Poets
they have jiri/tophanes , Homer , Euripides , and Sophocles ,
in Aldus fmall Print. Of the Hiftorians they have Thu-
cidides , Herodotus , and Hmdian . Alfo my Companion,
Brians Apinatus , carried with him Phyfick Books, cer¬
tain fmall Works of Hippocrates , and Galen's Murotechne 3
the which Book they have in great Eftimation : For tho5
there be almoft no Nation under Heaven that hath lefs
Need of Phylick than diey ; yet this notwithftanding,
Phylick is no where in greater Honour. Becaufe they
count the Knowledge of it among the gcdlielt and moil

profitable

85 *£he Common- W e a l t h

profitable Parts of Philofophy. For, whilft they, by
the Help of this Philofophy, fearch out the fecret Mylte-
riei of Nature, they think themfelves to receive thereby
not only wonderful great Pleafure, but alfo to obtain
great Thanks and Favour of the Author and Maker
thereof. Whom they think, according to the Fafhion
of other Artificers, to have fee forth the marvelous and
gorgeous Frame of the World for Man, with great A £■
fe&ion, intentively to behold , whom only he hath
made of Wit and Capacity to conlider and underftand
the Excellency of fo great a Work. And therefore he
beareth, fay they, more Good-will and Love to the cu¬
rious and diligent Beholder and Viewer of his Work,
and Marvellor at the fame, than he doth to him, which,
like a very brute Bead without Wit and Reafon, or as
one without Senfe or Moving, hath no Regard to fo
great and fo wonderful a Spectacle. . The Wits, there¬
fore, ofth e Utopians, inured and exercifed in Learning,
be marvelous quick in the Invention ot Feats helping
any Thing to the Advantage and Wealth ot Lite. Row-
beit, two Feats they may thank us tor ; that is, the
Science of Imprinting, and the Craft of making Paper.
And yet net only us, but chiefly and principally them¬
felves. For when we fhewed to them Aldus his Print in
Books of Paper, and told them of the Stuff whereof Pa¬
per is made, and of the Feat of graving Letters, fpeak-
ing fomewhat more than we could plainly declare (for
there was none ot us that knew perfectly either the one
or the other) they forthwith very wittily conjectured
the Thing. And* whereas before they wrote only on
Skins, Barks of Trees, and. Reeds, now they have at¬
tempted to make Paper, and to imprint Letters. And
tho5 at firft it proved not all of the belt, yet by often el-
faying the fame, they Ihortly got the Feat of both. And
have 1b brought the Matter about, that if they had Co¬
pies of Greek Authors, they could lack no Books. But
now they have no more than I rehearfed before, laving
that by printing of Books, they have multiplied and in-

creafed the fame into many tho Lands ox Copies. YVho-

foever

$f UTOPIA. 87

foever cometh thither to fee the Land, being excellent
in any Gift of Wit, or, through much and long Journey¬
ing, well experienced and feen in the Knowledge cf
many Countries flor the which Cauie we were very
"Welcome to them) him they receive and entertain won¬
drous gently and lovingly. For they have Delight to
hear what is done in every Land, howbeic very few
Merchant-men come thither.

For what Ihould they bring thither, unlefs it were
Iron, or elfe Gold and Silver, which they had ratner
carry home again ? Alfo fuch Things as are to be car¬
ried out of their Land, they think it more YVifdom to
carry that Gear forth themfelves, than that others llrould
come thither to fetch it, to the Intent they may the bet¬
ter know the Out-lands on every Side of them, and keep
in Ufe the Feat arid Knowledge oi Sailing.

Of Bondmen, 5 Jick Perfcns , Wedlock^ and divers ether

Matters .

THEY neither make Bondmen of Prifoners taken
in Battle, unlefs it be in Battle that they fought
themfelves, nor of Bondmen’s Children ; nor, to be
ftiort, of any fuch as they can get out oi ioreign Coun¬
tries, tho5 he were yet there a Bondman : But either
fuch as among themfelves for heinous Oitences be pu-
nilhed with Bondage, or elfe fuch as in the Cities oi
other Lands for great Trefpafies be condemned to Death.
And of this Sort of Bondmen they have mod Store.

For many of them they bring home fometimes paying
very little for them, yea, m oft commonly getting them'
for Gramercy. Thefe Sorts of Bondmen they keep not
only in continual Work and Labour, but alfo in Bonds.
But their own Men* they handle hardeft, whom they
judge more defperate, and to have deferved greater -gu-
nifhment, becaufe they, being fo godly brought up;fto
Virtue in fo excellent a Common-Wealth, could not for .
all that be refrained from Mifdomg* Another Kmd oi

M Bond-

88

The

C O M M O N - W E A L T H

Bondmen they have, when a vile Drudge, being a poor
.Labourer in another Country, doth chufe of his own
V nl to be a Bondman an

free YY

, among them. Thefe they

treat and order honeftly, and entertain almoft as gently

as civet r own free Citizens, faving that they put them to
a Due more Labour, as thereto accuftomed. If any
lucn be difpofed to depart thence (which feldcm is fen)
they neither hold him againft his Will, nor 1'end him
away with empty Hands. The Sick, as I faid, they fee
to with great Affection, and let nothing at allpafs, con¬
cerning eitner Phyiick or good Diet, whereby they may
be reltored again to their Health. Such as be lick of
incurable Dileales, they comfort with litting by them,
*inu, to . e Ihort, with all Manner of Helps that may be.
But if the Difeale be not only incurable, but alio full of
continual Pain and Anguifn, then the Priefts and Ma¬
gi ilrares exhort the Man, feeing he is not able to do any
D> ty of Life, and, by overliving, his own Life is noi-
fome and irkfonce to others and grievous to himfelf^ that
he will determine with himfelf no longer to cherifh that
peftilent and painful Difeafe. And feeing his Life is to
him but a i orment, that he will not be unwilling to die
rac^er ta^e a good Hope to him, and either dilpatch
himfelf out of that painful Life, as out of a Prifon, or a
Rack of Torment, or elfe fuffer himfelf willingly to be
i m out or it by another. And in fo doing, they tell
him, he ihall do wifely, feeing by his Death he fhail lofe
no Commodity, but end his Pain. And becaufein that
Acl he lliall follow the Counfel of the Priefts, that is to
lay, of the Interpreters of God’s Will and Pleafure, they
fliew him that he lliall do like a godly and virtuous
Man. They that be thus perfuaded, finilh their Lives
willingly, either with Hunger, or elfe die in their Sleep',
without any Feeling of Death. But they cauls none
luch to die againft his Will, nor they ufe no lefts Dili¬
gence and Attendance about him, believing this to be
an honourable Death. Elfe he that killeth hiluftelf be¬
fore that the Priefts and the Council have allowed the
Caufe of his Death, him, as urf worthy either to be bu¬
ried.

of UTOPIA. 89

ricd, or with Fire to be confumed , they call unburied
into fome ftinking Mar ill.

A Woman is not married before flie be eighteen
Years old. The Man is four Years elder before he
marry. If either the Man or the W oman be proved to
have a&ually offended before their Marriage with an¬
other, the Party that fo hath trefpaffed, is iharply pu¬
nished. And both the Offenders be forbidden ever alter
in all their Life to marry 5 unlefs the Fault be forgiven
by the Prince’s Pardon Beth the Good-man and Good-
wife of the Houle, where that Offence was committed,
as being flack and negligent in looking to their Charge,
be in Danger, of great Reproach and Infamy. T-hat Ox-
fence is fo fharply punifhed, becaufe they perceive, that
unlefs they be diligently kept from the Liberty oy tnis
Vice, few will join together in the Love of Marriage,
wherein all the Life muff be led w ith one, and alio all
the Griefs and Difplealures coming therewith, patient¬

ly be taken and borne. Furthermore, in c

hull rig

■<3 rr r •

Vv ives

and Husbands, they obferve earneftly and ftraitly a
Cuftom, which feemed to us very fond and foolilh.
For a fad and honeft Matron fheweth the Woman, be
ihe Maid or Widow, naked totheWoer. And like-
wife a fage and difereet Man exhibited! the Woer naked
to the Woman. At thisCuftom we laughed, and di (al¬
io wed it as foolilh. But they, on the other Part, do
greatly wonder at the Folly of all other Nations, widen
in buying a Colt, where a little Money is in Hazard, be
fo chary and circumfpeft, that the’ he be aimoil ail bare,
yet they will not buy him, unlefs the Saddle and ail the
Harnefs be taken off7, left under thole Coverings be hid
fome Gall or Sore: And yet in chuiing a Wife, which
ihall be either Pleafure or Difpleafure to them all their
Life after, they be fo heedlefs, that all the Relidue of
the Woman’s Body being covered with Cloath, they
efteem her fcarcely by one Hand’s Breadth (for they can
fee no more but her Face!) and fo to join her to them
not without great Jeopardy of evil agreeing together,

M 2 if

9 ° ’the Common - Weal t*

faTaSliffikc*^5' afterWard «"* *"« to of-

. Por a^ Men be not fo wife as to have Refoe a m rn„
ofXUp ?ndiCT ?f the ParC> - Apd the Endowments

cfteemed0 and"016 X of the Mind more to be

OiS M<0 i -f rQred/ J^r even the Marriages of
ij ‘ , r ‘ ‘ cn,)5 fo foul Deformities mav be hid nn-

vflei tnoie Coverings, that it may quite alienate and rofil
fvvv.y the Man’s Mind from his Wife when ir nil

*? f ,vfcl <? Il,eir ‘° 1* %&*&»“ If Ch

Deformity happen by any Chance after til MarrL e i
consummate and finilhed, we!!, therein no Remedfbut

Xrep E^er>' Man mull take his Fortune well in

whereby JXrhn^ Weil dTe,thaC a Law were made
ed beXehLS ^ > efchewed and *void-

,/5nd tins were they con drained more earneftlv to

k?cTt?e\VrCHh ^ °"ly °f the Nations k'that

fe- And Matrimony is there never broken but by

H-XwT dfjy break the Bond> °t ^ the in-
t ,K“7 , wayward Manners of either Party. .For if ei-

tner of mem find themfelves for any fuchCaufe grieved

tneymay by the Licence of the Council, change and

take another ; But the other Party liveth ever after in

„ r/’nn h°“ 4W/dl0clc- Howbeit’ -i* Husband
put at ay his Vt ife for no other Fault but that feme

liiffi-r -P fXT1 “ bei" Eocly’ this b>' no means they will
iu ct. For they judge it a great Point of Cruelty, that

any rod/ in tneir mod Need of Help and Comfort,
laould be call oft and fodaken j and that old Age, which
_OLn umgern Sicknefs with it, and is a Sicknefs itfelf,
,,oud l‘nk,,ndly and unfaithfully be dealt withal. But
v'°'v and t,JCn ^ chanceth, whereas the Man and Wo¬
man cannot well agree between themfelves, both of them
finding others with whom they hope to live more quiet-

iLrXr'11^ iA r d!ey’ hy the full Confent of them
r/ dl vorccd amnder, and married again to other?,

L:'1 “at not wxsnogc the Authority of the Council :

Which

(UTOPIA, • 91

Which agreeth to no Divorces, before they and their
Wives have diligently tried and examined the Matter.
Yea, and then alfo they be loath to confent to it, be¬
came they know this is the next Way to break Love
between Man and Wife, to be in eafy Hope of a new
Marriage. Breakers of Wedlock be punilhed with mod:
grievous Bondage. And if both the Offenders were
married, then the Parties which in that Behalf have luff
fered Wrote:, being divorced from the Adulterers, be
married together, if they will, or elfe to whom they lift.
But if either of them both do ftiil continue in Love to¬
ward fo unkind a Bed-Fellow, the Ufe of Wedlock is
not to them forbidde n, if the Party faultlefs be difpofed
to follow in toiling and Drudgery the Perfon which
for that Offence is condemned to Bondage. And very
oft it chanceth, that the R

earned: Diligence of the other, doth fo move the Prince
with Pity and Companion, that he reftoreth the Bond-
Perfon from Servitude to Liberty and Freedom again.
But if the fame Party be taken after in that Fault, there is
no other Way but Death. To ocher Trefpafles no pre-
feript Punilhment is appointed by any Law. But ac¬
cording to the Heinoulnefs of the Offence, or contrary-
wife, fo the Punilhment is moderated by the Difcretion
of the Council. The Husbands chaftife their Wives,
and the Parents their Children, unlefs they have done
any fo horrible Offence, that the open Punilhment there¬
of maketh much for the Advancement of honeft Man¬
ners.

But moft commonly the moft heinous Faults be pu-
nilhed with the Incommodity of Bondage. For that
they fuppofe to be to the Offenders no lefs Grief, and to
the Common- Wealth more Profit, than if they Ihould
haftily put them to Death, and fo make them o1uite out of
the Way. For there cometh more Profit of their Labour
than of their Death, and by their Example they frighten
others the longer from like Offences. But if they, be¬
ing thus ufed, do rebel and kick again, then, forfooth,
they be flain as defperate and wild Beads, whom neither

Prifon

T

i I

tV f

lit' <

I

|lj

1'. 1

9Z 7ue Common- W e a l t h

Prifon nor Chain could redrain and keep under. But
they, which take their Bondage patiently, be not left all
hope! els. For after they have been broken and tamed
with long Miferies, if then they fhew fuch Repentance
as thereby it may be perceived that they be more lorry
for their Offence than for their Puniihment, icm times
by the Prince’s Prerogative, and fometimes by the Voice
or elle Confent of the People, their Bondage either is
mitigated, or clean relealed and forgiven. He that
movech to Adultery, is m no Ids Danger and Jeopardy,
than it he had committed Adultery indeed. For in all
Qhences they count the Intent and pretended Purpoie as
evil as the Aft or Deed itlelf, thinking that no Let
ought to excufe him, that did his bed to have no Let.
They have lingular Delight and Pleafure in Fools. And
it is a great Reproach to do any of them Hurt or ln-
jury, fo they prohibit not to take Pleafure in Foolifh-
nefs. For that, they think, doth much Good to the
Fools. And if any Man be fo fid and ftern, that he
cannot laugh neither at their Words nor Deeds, none of
diem be committed to his Tuition, for Fear led he
would not treat them gently and favourably enough,
to whom they fhould bring no Delectation (for other
Goodnefs in them is none) much lefs any Profit Ihould
they yield him. To mock a Man for his Deformity, or
that he lackerh one Part or Limb of his Body, is counted
great Dilhonedy and Reproach, not to him that is
mocked, but to him that mocketh. Which unwilely
doth imbraid any Man of that as a Vice that was not in
his Power ro efehew ; all'o as they count and reckon ve¬
ry little Wit to be in him that regarded! not natural
Beauty and Comlineis, io to help the fame with Paint¬
ings, is taken for a vain and wanton Pride, not without
great Infamy. For they know even by very Experience,
that no Comlinefs of Beauty doth fo highly commend
and advance the Wives in the Conceits of their Hus¬
bands, as honed Conditions and Lowlinefs : For as
Love is oftentimes won with Beauty, fo it is not kept,
preferved and continued; but by Virtue and Obedience.

They

.

tf UTOPIA. 95

They do not only frighten their People from doing
Evil, by Puniihments, but alio allure them to Virtue
with Rewards ol Honour. Therefore they let up m
the Market-place the Images oi notable Men, and ol
fuch as have been bountiful Benefactors to. the Common-
Wealth, for the perpetual Memory of their good Acts •
and alfo that the Glory and Renown of their Anced'o. s
may Rir and provoke their Posterity to Virtue. He that
inordinately and ambitioufly defireth Promotions, is lelt
hooelels for ever of attaining any Promotion as long as
he'livetb. They live together lovingly : For no Ma¬
gistrate is either haughty or fearful. Fathers- they be
called, and like Fathers they ufe themfelves. The Ci¬
tizens (as it is their D tv) willingly exhibit unto them
due Honour, without any Compulsion. Nor the Prince
himfelf is not known from the others by princely Appa¬
rel, or a R obe of Stare, nor ■ by a Crown, or Diadem
royal, or Cap of Maintenance, but by a little Sheaf ol
Corn carried before him. And io a Paper ol W ax is
borne before the Biihop, whereby only he is known.
They have but few Laws. For to People to. instruct
and institute, very few do fuflice. . Y ea, this Thing they
chiefly7 reprove among other Actions, that innumerable
Books of Laws, and Expofitions upon the fame, be not
fufficient. But they think it againft all Right and Juttice,
that Men Should be bound to thole Laws, wniclr eithci
be in Number more than may be read, or eife blinder and
darker than that any’ Man can understand them. Fui.-
thermore, they utterly exclude and banifh all Attornies,
Proctors and Serjeants ar the Law, which craftily handle
Matters, and fubtily difpute ol the Laws. for. they
think it molt meet that every Man Should plead hi"
own Matter, and tell the fame Tale to the Judg
that he would tell to his Man ol Law. So fr.au
there be lefs Circumstance of W ords, and the ii ut h
Shall looner corne to Light, whilst the judge, vwtna
difereet J udgment, doth weigh the Words oi him wnom
no Lawyer hath instructed with Deceit, and whidt he

hearech out Simple W its againil the lalie and malicious,

Circuin-

s

94 The C 0 M M O k - w K A L T H

Circumventions of crafty Children. This is hard to be
ooferved in other Countries, in fo infinite a Number of
blind and intricate Laws. But in Utopia every Man is
a cunning Lawyer. For, as I faid, they have very few
Laws ; and the plainer and grofler that any Interpreta¬
tion is that they allow as moil juft. For all Laws, fay
they, be made and publiihed only to the Intent, that bv
them eveiy Man fhall be put in Remembrance of his
Jjuty. But the crafty and fubde Interpretation of them
(loralmuch as tew can attain thereto) can put very few
in that Remembrance, whereas the limple, the plain
and grols Meaning of the Laws is open to every Man*
Life, as touching the vulgar Sort of the People, which
be both moft in Number, and have moft Need to know
their Duties, were it not as good for them, that no Law
were made at all, as when it is made to bring fo blind
an Interpretation upon it, that, without great Wit and
long Arguing, no Man can difcufs it? To the finding
out whereof, neither the grofs judgment of the People
can attain, neither the whole Life of them that be occu¬
pied in working for their Livings, can fuffice thereto.
Thefe Virtues of the Utopians have caufed their next
Neighbours and Borderers, which live free and under
no Subjection (for the Utopians long ago have delivered
many ol them from Tyranny) to make Magiftrates of
them, feme for a Year, and feme for five Years Space.
Which, when the Time of their Office is expired, they
bring home again with Honour and Praife, and take
new ones again with them into their Country.

Thefe Nations have undoubtedly very well and
wholefomly provided for their Common- Wealths.

F or feeing that both the Making and the Marring of the
\Veal Publick, doth depend and hang upon the Manners
of the Rulers and Magiftrates, what Officers could they
more wifely have chofen than thofe which cannot be led
from Honeily by Bribes (tor to them that fhortly after
fhall depart thence into their own Country, Money
ffiould be unprofitable) nor yet be moved either with
Favour or Malice cowards any Man, as being Strangers,-

and

of U T O P I A. ' 95

and unacquainted with the People? The which two
Vices of Affe£lion and Avarice, where they take Place
in Judgments, incontinently they break Juitice, the
ftrongetf and fureft Bond of a Common- Wealth. Theie
People, which fetch their Officers and Rulers from
them, the Utopians call their Fellows. And others, to
whom they have been beneficial, they call their Friends.
As touching Leagues, which in other Places, between
Country and Country, be fo often concluded, broken
and renewed, they never make none with any Nation.
For to what Purpofe ferve Leagues, fay they ? As tho’
Nature had not let fufficient Love between Man and
Man. And whofo regardeth not Nature, think you
that he will pafs for Words? They be brought into this
Opinion chiefly, becaufe that in thofe Parts of theW orld
Leagues between Princes be wont to be kept ana oh-
ferved very flenderly. For here in Eurcfe, and efpe-
cially in thofe Parts where the Faith and Religion of
Chri/l reigneth, the Majefty of Leagues is everywhere
Hteemed holy and inviolable^ partly thro5 thejuftice
and Goodnefs of Princes, and partly at the Reverence
and Motion of the Head-Bithops. Which like as they
make no Promife themfelves, but they do very religious¬
ly perform the fame, fo they exhort all Princes in any-
wile to abide by their Promifes, and them that refufe or
deny fo to do, by their pontifical Power and Authority
they compel thereto. And furely they think Vs ell that
it might feem a very reproachful Thing, if in the Leagues
of them which by a peculiar Name be called Faithful,
Faith fhould have no Place. But in that new-found
Part of the World, which is fcarcely lo far from us be¬
yond the Line equinoctial, as our Life and Manners be .
diffident from theirs, no Trull nor Confidence is in
Leagues. But the more and holier Ceremony theXeaeue
is knit up with, the fooner it is broken by fomi (Xviila-
tion found out in the Words, which many tW hn
Purpofe be fo craftily put in and placed, that the
can never be fo fure and fo ftrong, but they will find
feme Hole open to creep out at, and to break borm

9 6 m c OMMON-W EA.L T U

League and I ruth. The ’which crafcy Dealing, yea,
the which Fraud and Deceit, if they ftiould know it to
be practiied among private Men in their Bargains and
Comnicis, tney would incontinently cry out at it with
&n open Mouth, and a lour Countenance, as an Of¬
fence molt deteitable, and worthy to be punillied with
a fLimelul Deata , yea, even the very Men that advance
themlelves Authors of like Counfel, and give it to
Princes. W herefore it may well be thought, "either that
all juliice is but a bafe and a low Virtue, and which
availeth itfelf far under the high Dignity ofKinas ^ or,
at the leaft wife, that there be two Kinds of Juftice, the
one meet for the inferior Sort of the People, going on
foot and creeping low by the Ground, and bound down
on every jide w i tn many Bands, becaufe it fhall not run
at Rovers.^ 'I he other a priqcely Virtue, which, like
as it is of much higher Majefty than the other poor
Juliice, fo alio it is of much more Liberty, as to the
which nothing is unlawful that it lifteth after. Thefe
Manners of Princes, as I faid, which be there fo evil
Keepers of Leagues, caufe the Utopians , as I fuppofe, to
niaxe no Leagues at all, which perchance would change
their Mind, if they lived here. XfowFeit, they think
that tho5 Leagues be never lo faithfully obferved and
kep y yet the Cuftom of making Leagues w'as very evilly
begun. For this caufeth Men (as tho’ Nations which
be leparate afunder by the Space of a little Hill, or
River, w^cre coupled together by no Society or Bond
of Nature) to think themfelves born Adverfaries and
Lnemies one to another, and that it were lawful for the
one to leek the Death and Deftruftion of the other, if
Leagues were not ; yea, and that after the Leagues he
accorded, Friendihip doth not grow and increafe : But
the Licence of Robbing and Stealing doth ftill remain,
as fo: f 07 h ft s for Lack of Forehght and Advifement in
the W ords of the League, any Sentence or Claufe
/contrary is not therein fufficiently comprehended.
But they be of a contrary Opinion. That is, that no
Man ought to be counted an Enemy which hath done no

Injury.

■J Li

§f UTOPIA. 97

Injury. And that the Fellowfliip of Nature is a flrong
League, and that Men be better and more Purely knit
together by Love and Benevolence than by Covenants
of Leagues, by hearty Affection or Mind than by

Words.

Of Warfare .

AR, or Battle, as a Thing very beaftly, and yet
to no Kind ol Bealls in io mucn b ie as to Iv! an,
they do deteft and abhor. And, contrary to tne Cuuoni
almoft of all other Nations, they count nothing fo much
againft Glory, as Glory gotten in War. And theie-
fore, tho" they do daily praftife and exercife themfelv es
in the Difcipline of War, not only the Men, but alio the
Women upon certain appointed Days, left they mould
be not at all acquainted with the Peat of Arms, if Need
fhould require , yet they never go to Battle, but either,
in the Defence of their own Country, or to drive out or
their Friends Land the Enemies that have invaded it, or
by their Power to deliver from theYoke and Bondage of*'
Tyranny lome People that be therewith oppreiied.
Which Thing they do of mere Pity and Compaffion.
Howbeit, they fend Help to their Friends, not ever in
their Defence, but fometimes alfo to requite and re¬
venge Injuries before to them done. But this they
do not unlefs their Counfel and Advice in dra
Matter be asked, whilft it is yet new and frefh. For if
they find the Caufe probable, and if the contrary Part
will not reftore again fuch Things as be of them juftiy
demanded, then they be the chief Authors and Makers
of the W ar. Which they do not only as oft as by In-
rodes and Invafions of Soldiers Preys and Booties be
driven, but then alfo much more mortally, when their
Friends Merchants in any Land, either under the Pre¬
tence of unjuft Laws, or elfe by the wrefting and wrong
Underftanding of good Law's, do fuftain an unjuft Ac-
cuiation under the Colour of Juftice. Neither the Battle

N z which

9*

JL *Jt/

V- O M M O

w E A L T n

w hicn the Utopians fought for the Ncphelmtes ap-ainfl- tb~
Jllaopohtam , a little before our Ti™ , r the

omerCaule, but that the Nepbclogete’ Mnd^t-men

wronS of the Alaopolitam ,
un. r the 1 retence of right. But whether it were r.Vht

V nITgfo'VT Wlth fo rel and mortal War re-

Kfowefto rnpnet?- fOUnd ab0Ut ioininS their Help
ri: ; J 51° Bhe Puiflance and Malice of both Parties

, mod ■ flourilhmg and wealthy Peoples, beine fome

;taten’ and (°™ “Ahem Lrpty

r)ulce'> tnf. Milcniefs were not finiihed nor ended until

iVolheT ^ th£ kft Were -Vielded L1P as Bondmen

fouaht rot'tbi ' W°U f CT Nephelcgetes. For the Utopians
g not this VV ar for themfelves. And vet the Nethp

te hl0re *• *'»> **» the JkopoB L iX

e ,e,l: tv"rr„ ”0th‘n?10 be w*th them. Sc

v“r?/r°ftc.r the lnj°ries done <0 their

r , f eyu’ by Covin or be wiped be-
- em Goods, fo that no Violence be done to their

Booies, they eale their Anger by attaining from occu-

nonS Vthr hhat runtii they have made Satislac-

i_ion. Not becaufe they fet lefs Store by their own Ci-

uzens than by their Friends, but that they take theLofs

1 then friends Money more heavily than the Lofs of

nor own. Lecaufe that their Friends Merchant-men,

oraimuch as that the Lofs is their own private Goods

u.ain great Lamage by the Lofs- but their own Ci-

s/.cno lOiC nothing but of the common Goods, and of

that which was at home plentiful and almoft iuperfluous,

r‘\ , , IcrnrC been rent folTh: Therefore * no Man
f efh the, And *or chis Caufe they think it too

c.-ul an Act to revenge the Lofs with the Death of

yar.o the In commodity of the which Lofs no Man
leeletn neither in his Life, nor yet in his Living. But

11 !t ch.anar that a"y of their Men be in any other Coun¬
try maimed or killed, whether it be done by a common
-r a pm ate Council, knowing and trying out the Truth
o. ;ic Matter by their AmbalTadors, unlefs the Offenders

of U T O P I A. 99

be rendered unto them in Recompense of the Injury,
they will not be appealed $ but incontinently they pro¬
claim War againft them. The Offenders yielded, they
punilh them either with Death, or with Bondage. They
be not only forry, but alfo alhamed to atchieve the
Viaory with Blood-lhed, counting it great Folly to buy
precious Wars too dear. They rejoice and avant them-
felves, if they vanquifh and opprefs their Enemy by
Craft and Deceit : And for that Aa they make a gene¬
ral Triumph, and, as if the Matter were manfully han¬
dled, they let up a Pillar of Stone in the Place where
they fo vanquilhed their Enemies, in Token of their
Viaory. For then they glory, then they boaft and
crack, that they have played the Man indeed, when
they have fo overcome as no other living Creature but
only Man could ; that is to fay, by the Might and
Puiflance of Wit. For with bodily Strength, fay they.
Bears, Lions, Boars, Wolves, Dogs, and other wild
Bealls do fight. And as the moil Part of them do pafs
us in Strength and fierce Courage, fo in Wit and Reafon.
we be much ftronger than they ah. dheir chief and
principal Purpofe in War is to obtain that Thing which
it they had before obtained, they would not have moved
Battle. But if that be not poffible, they take fuch cruel
Vengeance of them which be in the Fault, that ever
after they' be afraid to do the like.

This is their chief and principal Intent, which they
immediately and firft of all profecute and fet forward.
But yet fo, that they be more circumfpect in avoiding
and efchewing Jeopardies, than they be dehrous of Praile
and Renown. Therefore immediately after that War is
once folemnly denounced, they procure many Procla¬
mations, iigned with their otvn common Seal, to be let
up privily at one Time in their Enemies Land in Places
inoft frequented. In thefe Proclamations they promifc
great Rewards to him that will kill their Enemies Prince,
and fomewhat lefs Gifts (but them very great alfo) for
every Head of them whofe Names be in the laid Procla¬
mations contained. They be thefe whom they count

their

ioo tfhc Common-Weal t u

t . * 1 .

their chief Adverfaries next unto the Prince whom
iere is prelcnoed ; unto him that kiiieth any of the pro-
claimed i'Cuons that is doubled to him that brin-reth
any of the lame to them alive • yea, and to the pro¬
claimed Pei Ions themfelves, if they will change their
Muiv.s, ar.d come unto them, taking their Parts, they
profter the fame great Rewards, with Pardon and Sure¬
ty oi their Lives. Therefore it quickly cometh to pals
that their Enemies have all other Men in Sufpicion, and’
be unthankful and miftfufting among themfelves one to
another, living in great Fear, and in no lefs jeopardy.
For it is well known, that divers times the moil Part of
tnem, and lpecially the Prince himfeli, hath been betrayed
oi them, in whom they put their mod Hope and Trail.
So there is no Manner of Aft nor Deed that Gifts and
Rewards do not intorce unto. And in Rewards they
keep no Meafure: But remembring and coniidering into
how great Hazard and Jeopardy they call them, endea¬
vour themfelves to recompenfe the Greatnefs of the Dan¬
ger with like great Benefits. And therefore they pro¬
mise not only wonderful great Abundance of Gold, but
*lfo Lands oi great Revenues lying in molt fafe Places
among their Friends. And their Promifes they perform
faithfully, without any Fraud or Covin.

This Cuftom of buying and felling Adverfaries, among
other People is dilallowed, as a cruel Act of a bafe and
cowardilh Mind : But they in this Behalf think them¬
felves much Praife worthy, as who likewife, as Men,
by this Means difpatch great Wars without Battle or
Skirmilh. Yea, they count it alfo a Deed of Pity and
Mercy, becaufc that by the Death of a few Offenders
the Lives of a great Number of Innocents, as well of
their own Men, as alfo of their Enemies, be ranfomed
and faved, which in fighting Ihould have been (lain.
For they do no lefs pity the bafe and common Sort of
their Enemies People than they do their own j know¬
ing that they be driven and forced to Wars again it
their Wills., by the furious Madnds of their Princes and
Heads. If by none of thefe Means the Matter go for¬
ward.

■ ■

of UTOPIA.

lor

ward, as they would have it, then they procure Gcca-
fions of Debate, and Diflenfions to be i'pread among
their Enemies : As by bringing the Prince’s Brother, or
forne of the Noblemen, in Hope to obtain the king¬
dom. If this Way prevail not, then they raile up the
People that be next Neighbours and Borderers to be their
Enemies, and them they fet in their Necks, under tne
Colour of feme old Title of Right, fuch as Kings do
never lack. To them they pronule their Help. and Aid
in their War. And as for Money they give them
Abundance. But of their own Citizens they fend them
few or none ; whom they make fo much or, and love
fo entirely, that they would not be willing to change
any of them lor their Adverfary s Prince. But tneir
Gold and Silver, becaufe they keep it ail for this only
Purpofe, they lay it out frankly- and freely j as woo
jhould live even as wealthily, it they had bellowed it
every Penny. Yea, and betides their. Riches, which
they keep at home, they have alfo an infinite Treafure
abroad, by reafon, that, as 1 laid before, many Nations
be in their Debt. Therefore they hire Soldiers, out of
all Countries, and fend them to Battle, but cnichy ot
the Zapolets. This People is five hundred Miles from
Utopia Eaftward: They be hideous, lavage. and neyce,
dwelling in wild Woods and high Mountains, where
they w'ere bred and brought up. They be of an hard
Nature, able to abide and' fuftain Heat, Cola, and La¬
bour, abhorring from all delicate Dainties, occupying
no Husbandry nor Tillage of the Ground, homely and
rude both in building of their Houles and in tneir Ap¬
parel, given unto no Goodnefs, but omy to the Bseea-
ing and Bringing- up cf Cattle. The mod Part ot tneir
Living is by Hunting and Stealing. They be born only
to War, which they diligently and earneftly feek tor.
And when they have gotten it, they be wondrous giad
thereof. They go forth out ot their Country in great
Companies together, and whofoever lacketh Sclmcis,
there they proffer their Service for fmall Wages. I k'5

is only the Craft they have to get their Living by. Tney
' maintain

io2 fix Common - Wealth

maintain their Lives by feeking their Death. For them
with whom they be in Wages they fight hardly, fierce-
1), and .faithfully. But they bind themfelves for no
certain lime. But upon this Condition they enter into
Bonds, that the next Day they will take Part with the
other Side for greater Wages, and the Day after that
they will be ready to come back again for a little more
Money. There be few Wars there away, wherein is
not a great N umber of them in both Parties. Therefore
it daily chanceth, tnat nigh Kinsfolk which were hired
together on one Part, and there very friendly and fa¬
miliarly ufed themfelves one with another, llrortly after
being feparate into contrary Parts, run one againft an¬
other envioully and fiercely ; and forgetting both Kin¬
dred and Friendfhip, thruil their Swords into one an¬
other : And that for none other Caufe, but that they be
hired for contrary Princes for a little Money. Which they
do fo highly regard and efteem, that they will ealily be
provoked to change Parts for a Halt-penny more Wages
by the Day. So quickly they have taken a Smack in
Covetoufnefs. Which for all that is to them no Profit.
For what they get by Fighting immediately they fpend
needlefs, unthriftily and wretchedly in Riot.

This People fighteth for the Utopians againft all Na¬
tions, becaufe they give them greater Wages than any
other Nation. For the Utopians , like as they feekgocd
Men to ufewell, fo theyfeek thefeevil and vicious Men
to abufe. Whom, when Need requireth, with Promifes
of great Rewards, they put forth into great jeopardies.
From whence the moft Part of them never cometh again
to ask their Rewards. But to them that remain alive,
they pay that which they promifed, faithfully, that they
may be the more willing to put themfelves in like Danger
another Time. For the Utopians pals not how many of
them they bring to Deitru£tion. For they believe that
they Ihould do a very good Deed for all Mankind, if
they could rid out of the World all that foul ftinking
Den of that moft wicked and curled People. Next unco
thefe, they ufe the Soldiers of them tor whom they

fight ;

cf U T O P I A. 103

fight ; and then the Help of their other Friends. And
laft of all, they join to their own Citizens. Among
whom they give to one of tried Virtue and r ov/ers, the
Rule, Governance, and Condu£tion of the whole Ai-
my. Under him they appoint two others, which, whilit
he is fafe, be both private and out cf Office. But it he
be taken or ilain, the one of the other fucceedetii him,
as it were by Inheritance. And if the fecond miluuiy,
then the third taketh his Room, left that (as the Chance
of Battle is uncertain and doubtful) the jeopardy oi
Heath of the Captain fhould bring the whole Army in
Hazard. They chufe Soldiers out of every City, tfaofe
which put forth themfelves willingly- tor tney thriift
iio Man forth into War againft his Will ; becaule they
believe, if any Man be fearful and faint-hearted of Na¬
ture, he will not only do no manful and hardy A 6c him-
felf, but alfo beOccahon of Cowatdnefs to his Fellows,
But if any Battle be made againft their own Country,
then they put thefe Cowards (To that they be ftrong-
bodied) in Ships among other bold-hearted Men. Or
clle they difpofe them upon the Walls, from whence they
may not fly. Thus, what for Shame that their Enemies
be at hand, and what for being without Hope of run¬
ning away, they forget all Fear : And many times ex**
tream Neceffity turneth Cowardnels into Trowels and
Manlinefs. But as none of them is thruft forth of his

Country into War againft his Will, foWoihen that be
willing to accompany their Husbands in Time of V V ar,
be not prohibited or letted. Yea, they provoke and
exhort them to it with Praifes. And in let Field xhi
Wives do ftand every one by their own Husbands Side,
Alfo every Man is compafled next about with his own
Children, Kinsfolk, and Alliance, that tli ey whom
Nature chiefly moveth to mutual Succour, thus ftanding*
together, may help one another, it is a great Reproach
and Dilhonefty for the Husband to come home without
his Wife, or the Wife without her Husband, or the Son
without his Father. And therefore if the ocher Part ftidc

fo hard by it, that the Battle come

O

t® their Hands, it id

to u

'-i

aw

IMON-W E A L T

C!

M

LOUSn- wira great Slaughter and Blood-fhed, even to
:ne u^er Deftn aioii of both Parties. For as they make
■v. Means and Shifts that may be, to keep themfe
, Kecel&y °f fighting, or that they may difc

foug

t

m\lu*\ans ancl tnat may be3 to keep themfelvei
irom the Neceiiity of Fighting, or that they may difpatch

tse Battle by their hired Soldiers, fo when there is no
.vemeay bet that they muft needs fight themfelves, then
taey go as couragioufly fall to it, as before, whilft they
m;gaL, mey jdid wifely avoid and refufe it. Nor thev
De not moll fierce at the firit Brunt: But in Continuance,
) littie and little, their fierce Courage increafeth, with
fo ftubbcrn and obftinate Minds, that they will rather ,
dieghan give oack an inch, for that Surety of Livino*
v/hich every Man hath at home, being joined with no
careful Anxiety or Remembrance how their Pofterity
fhad live after them (for this Penfivenefs oftentimes
breaketh and abateth couragious Stomachs) making
tLem hour and hardy, and difdaioful to be conouered.
Moreover, their Knowledge in Chivalry and Feats of
Aims pattern them in good Hope. Finally, the whol-
iome and virtuous Opinions wherein they were brought

their Childhood, partly through Learn-
ing, and partly through the good Ordinances and Laws
o! their Weal Pubiick, augment and increaie their man¬
ful Courage. By reafon whereof they neither fet fo
little Store by their Lives, that they will rafhly and un¬
advisedly calf them away ; nor they be not fo far in
lewd and fond Love therewith, that they will fhamefully
covet to keep them, when Konefty biddeth to leave
them. When the Battle is hotteft, and in all Places
nioft fierce and fervent, a Band of chofen arid picked
young Men, which be fvvorn to live and die together,
take upon them to deftroy their Adverfaries Captain.
Whom they invade now with privy Wiles, now by
open Strength. At him they Ihike both near and far off.
Me is a (tailed with a long and continual Affault, frefh
Men ftill coming in the wearied Mens Places. Andfel-
dom it chanceth (unlefs he fave himfelf by flying) that
he is not either (lain or elfe taken Prifoner, and yielded
to his Enemies alive. If they win the Field, they per¬
fect* te

(f U TOPI A. I °S

fecute not their Enemies with the violent Rage of

aJL UilVI - - - -- J

fuit of their Jinemies, but they . .

Part of their Hoft in Battle array , under men otanuaics^.
Infomuch, that if ail their whole Army oe cuicomuted
and overcome, faving the Rear-\V ard, tney nave LuCie-
with archie ved the Victory , and they had lamei let ail

their Enemies fcape, than to follow mem out of Ai i*j.

r* i

e^'Tiueu

iiiies, rejoicing in the Victory, have punned ^ them,
Hying, fome one Way and fome anocuei, a imail com¬
pany of their Men lying in Amouui, there ^ ready ^ at ad
Occaiions, have fuddenly rifen upon them, thus dilperled
and fcattered our. of Array, a no, tnrough t ici-umpticn or
Safety, unadvifedly purfuing the Chace, and have in¬
continently changed the Fortune of the whole Battle,
and, in Spite of their Teeth, wrefdng out of tneir Hands
the fure and undoubted Victory, being a little before
conquered, have for their Part conquered ther Conquer¬
ors. It is hard to fay whether they be craftier m lay¬
ing an Ambufh, or wittier in avoiding the lame, f on
would think they intend to fly when they mean nothing
lefs. And contrary-wife, when they go about that. Pi. r-
pofe, you would believe it were the lead Part of their
Thought. For if they perceive themfelves overpatched
in Number, or clofed in too narrow a Place, then they
remove their Camp, either in the Night Seaton with
Silence, or by fome Policy they deceive then: Enemies,
or in the Day Time they retire back (o fdftly, that it is
no lefs Jeopardy to meddle with them when they give
back, than when they prefs on. They fence and fortify
their Camp furely with a deep and broad Trench : The
Earth thereof is caft inward. Nor they do not fet
Drudges and Slaves to Work about it. It is done by
the Hands of the Soldiers themfelves. All the whole
Army worketh upon it, except them that keep Watch

O 2 and

106 fa C O M # o N - w E A t T x

snd \\ aid in Armour before th<* Trench fnr f„rU » .
ventures. Therefore. bv the T ,h ' >r/udden Ad-

^ge Trench, dolin'-- in a errear^™ V* many> a
’“>d; i” 1*6 Time than ..yM. !’

r i t" e whii ,<>%

mildy to I win, in. For fa ThT r “ T

among other **

i& JK& ftf;rT *Tv wWch ^

*:ib Horfemen. ° At fc&T b™

but Poll-axes whhUn f hey ufe not Swords,
in VTeidr ho-h fh, p ■ mored’ as well in Sharpnefs as
r u‘fr3,b0Ch or.Foins and Down-ftrokes. Engines

Wh:'’W^!CeVt,fe aud *nvcnt wondrous wittily
.i.- n a. ten tney be made they keep very fecret led

U tney^t.odd be known before Nek reqdre ’thet

i‘ u‘t, .oe bi;’lC viugaed at, and ferve to no Purpofe But

th -yilave chief Refpea, that
move 5 % u S CaI'Iied’ and handfome to be

d i for a 11 o- r T- °ai ^Uce, taken wkh Ene-
J'd , a "l0lC 1 ime> they do fo firmly and faithfully
keep, that tney will not break it, no, not though thev
be tnereunto provoked. They do not wafte nordefboy

®a&<55 re. nor t* bura ni‘

ti!,a‘cinf that 1C gror/eth for their own Ufe
h.‘V» 'n ff A7 ^rt n(> Man that is unarmed, unlefs

nd‘dd in/ u CuaC beyieIded unto them,
■fix X ■ And M « they win by Force of Af- .

,-ulL? •(,y,n|!i:n;r ]dl[P011 nor hick, but them that vvith-
irood and dnluaded the Yielding-up of the fame, they

pm to Team the other Soldiers they punilh with
bondage. AH the weak Multitude they leave untouch-
Pd‘, Ir |l2e> hu°w that any Citizens counfelled to yifeld
ana rentier up the City to them they give Part of the
con .-temned ,vjen s Coods. The Refidue they diftribute
fnd gup fiecjy among them whofe Help they had in

if UTOPIA. io?

the fame War. For none of themfelves taketh any Por¬
tion of the Prey. But when the Battle is finilhed and
ended, they put their Friends to never a Penny Colt of
all the Charges that they were at, but lay it upon their
Necks that be conquered. Them they burthen with the
whole Charge of their Expences, which they demand of
them, partly in Money, to be kept for like Ofe of Battle,
and partly in Lands of great Revenues, to be paid unto
them yearly for ever. Such Revenues they have now
in many Countries. Which by little and little riling of
divers and fundry Caufes, be incrcafed above feven hun¬
dred thoufand Ducats by the Year. Thither they fend
forth feme of their Cidzens as Lieutenants, to live there
fumptuouily, like Men of Honour and Renown. And
yet this notwithftanding, much Money is fayed, which
cometh to the common Treafury ; unlefs it io chance,
that they had rather truft the Country with the Money
(which many times they do) fo long, until they have
Need to occupy it. And it feldom happened! that they
demand all. Of thefe Lands they affign Part unto them
which, at their Requelt and Exhortation, put themfelves
in fuch Jeopardies as I fpake of before. If any Prince
ftir up War againd them, intending to invade their
Land, they meet him incontinently out of their osyn
Borders with great Power and Strength. For they never
lightly make War in their own Country'. Nor diey be
never brought into fo extream Neceffity as to take Help
out of foreign Lands into their own llland.

Of the Religions in Utopia.

THERE be divers Kinds of Religion, not only
in fundry Parcs of the llland, but alfo in divers
Places of every City. Some worfhip, for God, the Sun ;
fome the Moon ; others the Planets. There be that give
Worfhip to a Man that was once of excellent Virtue, or
of famous Glory, not only as God, but alfo as the
chiefed and higheft GOD. But thy molt and the wiled

*03 Tlx COMMON-W EAtTH

' ejecting all thefe, believe, that there is a certain
godly rower unknown, everlafting, incomprehenlible,
inexplicable, tar above the Capacity and Reach of Man’s
h it, diiperfed throughout ail the whole World, not in
.MgueiS, but in Virtue and Power. Him they call the:
Pa.her ot Ail. To him alone they attribute the Bepin-
imigs the Increaiings, the Proceedings, the Changes,
and tae Ends of ail Things. Neither do they give any" di¬
vine Honours to any other than to him.. Yea, all the
ouicrs aifo, though they be in divers Opinions, yet in
tms Foing they agree all together with the wifeft Sort,
in believing that there is one principal GOD, tire
Maker and Ruler of the whole World ; whom they ail
commonly in their Country-Language call Mythra. But
in this drey difagree, that among feme he is counted
one, and among fome another. For every one of them,
what foe ver that is which he taketh for the chief God,
thinketh it to be of the very fame Nature to whofe only

li.! 1 MiShc ancl1 Majefty the Sum and Sovereignty of
a.i filings, by the Content of all People, is attributed and
given. Howbeit, they ail begin by little and little to
fbrfake and fall from this Variety of Superftitions, and to
agree together in that Religion which feemech by Rea-
fon to pals and excel the Relidue. And it is not to be
doubted but all the others would long ago have been
aoolilhed, but that whatfoever unprolperous Thing hap¬
pened^ any of them, as he was minded to change his
Religion, the Feartulnefs of the People did take it, not
as a Thing coming by chance, but as fent from GOD
out of Heaven. As tho’ the God whofe Honour he
was forfaking, would have revenged that wicked Pur-
pofe agamd him. But after they had heard us fpeak of the
Name of Chrifi , of his Doctrine, Laws, Miracles, and
of the no lefs wonderful Conftancy of fo many Martyrs,
whofe Blood willingly ihed brought a great Number of
Nations, throughout all Parts of the World, into their
Se£f ; you will not believe with how glad Minds they
agreed unto the fame : Whether it were by the fecret
Infpiration of God, op elfe for chat they thought it

nigheft

■ (/UTOPIA, toy

nighcft unto tlint Opinion which among them is counte<{
the chiefeft. Howbeit, I think this was no fmall Help
and Furtherance in the Matter, that. they heard us layj
that Chrijl inftitutes among His all Things common ; and
that the fame Community doth yet remain among the
lighted Chri/lian Companies. V erily, ho whoever it came
to pafs, many of them confented together in our Reli¬
gion, and were walhed in the holy Water ofBapufm.
But becaufe among us four (for no more of us were left
alive, two of our Company being dead) there was no
Prieft, which I am right forty for , they being entcied
and inftrufted in all other Points of our Religion, lack,
only thofe Sacraments which none but Prieds do mi-
nifter. Howbeit, they underftand and perceive them,
and be very dehrous of the fame. Yea, tney teaion and
difpute the Matter earneftly among themfelves, whether
without the Sending of a Chrijhan Bifhop, on6 chofen out
of their own People, may recei ve the Order of Prieft-
hood. And truly they were minded to chufe one : But
at my Departure thence they had chofen none.

They alfo which do not agree t oChriJFs Religion,
fright no Man from it, nor fgeak againit any Man that
hath received it: Saving that one of our Company, in
my Prefence, was fharply puniihed. He, as foon as he
was baptifed, began, againft our Wills, with^ more
earned Affection than Wifdom, to reafon ot Chrijt s Re¬
ligion ^ and began to be fo hot in this Matter, that he
did not only prefer our Religion before all other, but
alfo did utterly defpife and condemn all others, calling
them' prophane, and the Followers of them wicked and
devilifh, and the Children of ever lading Damnation.
When he had thus long reafoned the Matter, they laid
hold of him, accufed him, and condemned him into
Exile, not as a Defpifer ot Religion, but as a feciitious
Perfon, and a Raifer-up ofDiffention among the People.
For this is one of the ancienteft Laws among them, that
no Man {half be blamed for reafcning in the Maintenance
of his own Religion. For King UtGptis, even at the mil:

Beginning, hearing that the Inhabitants of the Land

were

^ Common-" \V* £ a l v ^

were before his coming thither at continual Diflcntiotg
andbmre among themfelves for their Religions ■ per¬
ceiving ^alfo, that this common Difiention ( whi 1ft every
leveral Sect took feveral Parts in fighting for their Coun-
try) was the only Occafion of his Conqueit over them
all ; as foon as he had gotten the Victory, firft of all he
made a Decree, that it ihould be lawful for every Man
to favour and follow what Religion he would, and that
he might do the belt he could to bring others to his Opi¬
nion, fo that he did it peaceably, gently, quietly, and
loberly, without halty and contentious Rebuking and
inveighing againft others. If he could not by fair and
gentle Speech induce them unto his Opinion, yet he
ihould ufe no Kind of Violence, and refrain from dif-
p.~a ant and feditious Words. To him that would ve¬
hemently and fervently in this Caufe drive and contend
was decreed Banilhment or Bondage. This Law did
King Utoptts make, not only for the Maintenance of
Jrcace, wmch he faw, through continual Contention and
mortal Hatred, utterly extinguifhed ; but alfo, becaufe
he thought this Decree Ihould make for the Furtherance
of Religion. . Whereof he durlt define and determine
mothing unadvifedly, as doubting whether God, defiring
jnanifold and divers Sorts of Honour, would infpire
fundry Men with fundry Kinds of Religion. And this
furely he thought a very unmeet and foolilh Thing, and
a Point of arrogant Preemption, to compel all others by
Violence and Threatnings ro agree to the fame that thou
Believed to be true. Furthermore, tho’ there be one
Religion which, alone is true, and all others vain and
fuperftitious, yet did he well forefee (fo that the Matter
were handled with Reafon and fober Modefty) that the
Truth of the One Power would at the lad ifiue out and
come to Light. But if Contention and Debate in that '
Behalf ihould continually be uled, as the word Men be
moil obftinatc and ftubborn, and in their evil Opinion
mod condant ; he perceived that then the belt and ho-
lieft Religion would be trodden under Foot, and de¬
stroyed by molt vain Superftirions, even as good Corn is

by

^UTOPIA.' hi

by Thorns and Weeds overgrown $nd cKoked. There¬
fore all this Matter he left undifcufled, and gave to eve¬
ry Man free Liberty and Choice to believe what he w'ould :
Saving that he earneftly and ftraitly charged them, that
no Man fhould conceive fo vile and bale an Opinion of
the Dignity oi Man’s Nature, as to think that the Souls
do die and periih with the Bodies ; or that tne \ \ oi Id
runneth at all Adventures, governed by no Divine Pro¬
vidence. And therefore they believe that alter this Life
Vices be extreamly punifhed, and Virtues bountifully re¬
warded. He that is of a contrary Opinion, they count
hot in the Number of Men, as one that hath availed the
high Nature of his Soul to the Vilenefs of brute Beads
Bodies; much lefs in the Number of the Citizens:
Whofe Laws and Ordinances, if it were not for Fear,
he would nothing at all efteemu For you may be fure,*
that he will ftudy, either with Craft privily to mock, or
£lfe violently to break the common Laws of his Country,
in whom remaineth no further Fear than of the Laws,
nor no further Hope than of the Body. W herefore, he
that is thus minded, is deprived of all Honours, ex¬
cluded from all Offices, and rejefted from all common
Adminilfrations in the W eal Publick.

And thus he is of all Sorts defpifed, as of an unprofit¬
able, and of a bafe and vile Nature. Howbeit, they
put him to no Punifcment, becaufe they be perfuaded that
it is in no Man’s Power to believe what he lift. No, nor
they conftrain him not withThreatnings to difiemble his
Mind, and Ihew Countenance contrary to his Thought.
For Deceit and Fallhood, and all Manner of Lies, as
next unto Fraud, they do marveloufly rejeft and abhor.
But they fuffer him not to difpute in his Opinion, and
that only among the common People. For elfe apsrr,
among the Priefts and Men of Gravity; they do not on¬
ly fuffer, but alfo exhort him to. difpute and argue,
hoping that at the laft that Madnefs will give Place to
Reafon. There be alfo others, and of them no.fmali
Number, which be not bidden to fpeak their Minds, as

grounding their Opinion: upon fome Reafon, being iff

p their

N -

E A L T H

/if

ill

I

II* tfht c 0 M M o

t!u:r Living neither evil nor vicious. Their Herefv r*
muca contrary to the others: For they believe that the

h^a±s °,r C!)e ^Il-te Beafls be immortal and everlafting -
' notainrt to be compared with the others in Dignity*
m itner ordained and predeflinated to like Felicity? For
f believe certainly and furely, that Man5; Blifs
Af' be lo greac, that they do mourn and lament every
Man s Sicknefs, but no Man’s Death, unlefs it be on
whom they iee depart from his Life carefully, and againft
his \V ill. for this they take for a very 'ill Token, as
tho me Soul being in Defpair, and vexed in Confcience,
thro iome privy and fecret Forefeeling of the PunilD-
ment now at hand* were afraid to depart. And they
think he mail not be welcome to GOD, which, when
he is called, runneth not to him gladly, but is drawn by
oice, and fore agaimt his Will. They, therefore, that
lee this K ltid of Death, do abhor it ; and them that fo
die, they bury with Sorrow and Silence. And when
tiiey have prayed to GOD to be merciful to the Soul,
and merciful to pardon the Infirmities thereof, they co¬
ver me dead Corpfe with Earth. Contrary-wife, all that
ePait Iinerrily ^ncl 1^1 of good Hope, for them no Man
mourneth, but followed! the Hearfe with joyful Singing
commending the Souls to God with great Affeition.
And at the Jail, net with mourning Sorrow j but with a
great Reverence, they burn the Bodies. And in the
lame^ 1 lace they let up a Pillar of Stone, with the dead
Man’s Titles therein, graved. When they be come
home, they iehcarie his virtuous Manners and his good
JXeds. But no Part of his Life is fo oft and gladly
talked of, as his merry Death. They think, that this
Remembrance of the V irtue and Goodnefs of the Dead,
doth vehemently provoke and inforce the Living to Vir¬
tue ; and that nothing can be more pleafant and accept¬
able to the Dead m. Vv horn they iuppofe to be preient
among them, when they talk of them, tho5 to the dell
and feeble Eye-light of mortal Men they be in vilible.
For it were an inconvenient Thing that the Blefied
Ihouid not be at Libeity to go whither they would.

And

^UTOPIA. ”5

And it were a Point of great Unkindnefs in them, to
tve utterly caft away the Defire of Vihnng and . Se«ng
their Friends, to whom they were m their Lnc-tin.e
• ioined by mutual Love and Amity : Which in goo
Men after their Death they count to be ratner increafei
than diminished. They believe, therefore that tire
Dead be prefent and convex fant among Qmc? <
Beholder^ and Witneffes of all their WWrds and I>eds.

Therefore they g° ^ore couragiouiiy to . . f,

as having Truft and Confiaence ip fucti Oved^s. Ana
this Belief of the prefent Convention of tueir Foreu-
thers and Anceftors among them, keepetn them hoin ad
fecret Diilionefty. They utterly deipife and mom.-GOo
Payings and Divinations of Things to come, by ue

Flight and Voices of Birds, and all other; Divination or

vain Super ftition, which in other Countries be nr gi ^at
Obfervation. But they highly efteem and woi l hip mi¬
racles that come by no Help of Nature, as ■ <

Witnefles of the prefent Power of God. And iuen, tney
fay, do chance there very often. And fomeumes m
great and doubtful Matters, by common Inter cetlion and
Prayers, they procure and obtain them with a lure Hope

and Confidence, and a ftedfaft Belief. ,

They think that the Contemplation or N ature, and.
the Praife thereof coming, is to God a very accepnio.e
Honour ; yet there be many fo earneftly bent and ai-
fe£ted to Religion, that they pals nothing for Learning,
nor give their" Minds to any Knowledge of Hungs.
But Idlenefs they utterly forfake and efehew, thinking
Felicity after this Life to be gotten and obtained by
bufy Labour and good Exercifes. Some of them, there¬
fore, attend upon the Sick, fome mend Highways,

' cleanfe Ditches, repair Bridges, dig Turfs, Gravel, and
Stone, fell and cleave Wood, bring Wood, Corn, and
other Things, into the Cities in Carts, and lerve not on¬
ly in common W orks, but alio in private Labours, as
Servants; vea, more than Bondmen. For whatfoever
unpleafant, hard, and vile W ork is any where, from
the which Labour, Loathfomncls and Defperauon doth

E 2

...... - » ■

^ in j\i o

V ^ -

remain in continual Work ,3 r k° otb?'s* whilit they
imb. aiding others themwhh rt lbour ‘he"*lves, not
Mens Lives, nor glo ^n ^1“ rf TT °An
more lerviceable they behave rh p f i af^e c^e

be honoured offin Ttfl K ‘•hf more **7
Se£ts. The one rfE r ”hy be divided into two

jng not only from the Com^"y of VVom'’ bfT

prelent Life as hurtful he vui^r &rthe ^^eaiures of this

the Life to com ” by W*Sy w “pM the ?lire of

ing, hoping ihortly to obtain if -i..n v"-''1 ,anc| Svveat-
Seafon mefry and W The othefsS*5 “ *f?T
hrous of Labour : but thev em W a? ^ 15 n° lefs de"
fpiling the Solace ch /ri^rK i Matrimony, notde-

difcharged 1 *

Country, without rfoSon °Jf ghddrt ^ fT

andftrongerfi wCo*“f **'" «AX

wiler, bS the othet' th^bol '!*?* *

prefer iinrfle I ife before at ' • ’ ^^ich, ln they

before anealLr r ith tI Matn.mony> and a lharp Lite
, ,“r| eaiitr Life, if herein thev srounrlpri „n™, D ^

ion, they would mock them • pL, ae? uP°n Rea'

thev fav they he lerl m v k w' ,-C now> forafmuch

gut? S' „Af Ihai be whom ^SrLa"d

wm&i’wU *5L ■

P„n m J “ v<- • VCI7 Iew: *or there be bt

pi. "3 ^VC}Y Clt>h according to the Number of the
Churches, faring w hen they go forth toBatde Fo the

ieven of them go forth with die Army ; In whole Stead
fo many new ones be made at home. L “ other,
o- ... .! .'KM home again, re-enter eveiy one in hi

OWl

(/UTOPIA. n s

own Place : They that be above the Number, until fuch
Time as they iucceed into the Places ol the others at
their Dying;, be in the mean Seal'on continually in Com¬
pany with the Bilhop ; for he is the chief Head of them
all. They be chofen of the People, as the other Ma¬
gnates be, by fecret Voices, for the avoiding of Strife.

6 After their Election they be confecrated of thei r own
Company. They be Overfeers of all divine Matters,
Orderers of Religions, and as it were j udges and Ma-
piftrates of Manners. And it is a great Diihonelty and
Shame to be rebuked or fpoken to by any of them, for
diffolute and incontinent Living. But as it is their Ot-
hce to give good Exhortations and Counfer, fo it is the
Duty of the Prince and the other Magiftrates to correft
and punilh Offenders, laving that tne Prielts excommu¬
nicate from having any Intereft in divine Matters, thoie
whom they find exceeding vicious Livers. And there
is almoft no Punilhment among them more feared. For
they run into very great Iniamy, and be inwardly tor¬
mented with a fecret Fear of Religion, and ihall^ not
long efcape free with their Bodies. Foi, unlels tney,
by quick Repentance, approve the Amendment of their
Lives to the Priells, they be taken and punilhed of the
Council, as wicked and irreligious. Both Childhood
and Youth is inftrufted and taught of them. For they
be not more diligent to inltru6t them in Learning, than
in Virtue and good Manners. For they ufe with very
great Endeavour and Diligence to put into the Heads of
their Children, whilft they be yet tender and pliant,
good Opinions, and profitable for the Confervation of
the Weal Publick. Which, when they be once rooted
in Children, do remain w'ith them all their Life after,
and be wondrous profitable for their Defence and Main¬
tenance of the State of the Common-Weal ; which never
decayeth but through Vices riling from evil Opinions. _
The Prielts, unlels they be Women f for that Rind is
not excluded from Prielthood, howbeit, few be chofen,
and none but Widows and old W omen) the Men-

Prielts, I fay, take to their Wives the chiefeit Women in

all

no

The C OMMOK-W E AL TH

? tneir CountlJ- For to no Office among the Utopians
is nitre more Honour and Pre-eminence given : Info-

much, that it they commit any Offence, they be under

no common ] udgment, but be left only to God and

£«• wFo; “7 it not lawful to touch him
ith Man s Hands, be he never fo vicious, which, after

fo hngmar a Son was dedicated and confecrated to
Con, as a holy Offering.

This Manner they may eafily obferve, becaufe they
have io lew Priefts, and do chute them with fuch Cir-
cumfpecuon. For it tcarcely ever chanceth, that the
™ VT'rtuous among Virfuous, which in refned only
ot ms Virtue is advanced to fo high a Dignity, can faff
to Vice and Wickednefs. And if it ffiould chance in¬
deed (as Man’s Nature is mutable and frail) yet by rea-
Jon they be to tew, and promoted to no Might nor
Power, bat only to Honour, it were not to be feared
t at any gieat Damage by them fliould happen and enfue
to the Common-Wealth. They have fo- rare and tew

u ei- ♦ .■ the^onour were communicated to many

the Dignity ot the Order, which among them now is fo

highly eiteemed, fhould run into Contempt. Specially

becaufe they think it hard to find many fo good as to be

meet tor that Dignity, to the Execution and Difchame

whereof it is not fufficient to be endued with mean
Virtues.

Furthermore, thefe Priefts be not more efteemed of
their own Country-men, than they be of foreign and
ftrange Countries.. Which Thing may hereby "plainly
appear; and I think alfo that this is rhe Caufe of it;
For w'hilft the Armies be fighting together in open Field
they a, little belide, not far oft, kneel upon their Knees
in then hallowed Veftiments, holding up their Hands to
Heaven, praying firft of all for Peace, next for Vi£tory
of their own Part, hut to neither Part a bloody Vi ftorv.
If thJr Hoft get the upper Hand, they run into the main
Battle, and rciliain their own Men from flaying and
cruelly purfuing their vanquifhed Enemies. Which Ene-
mlesj if they do but fee them^ andfpeak to them, it is

enough

of V T O P I A. Ilf

enough for the Safe-guard of their Lives. And the
Touching of their Clcaths defended. and faveth all tueir,
Goods from Ravin and Spoil. Tms I hu g ad¬

vanced them to fo great Worftup and true Majefty
among ail Nations, that many times they have as well
preferred their own Citizens horn the cruel Force of
their Enemies, as they have their Enemies hem the fu¬
rious Rage of their own Men. for it is well known,
thar when their own Army hath recoiled, and m Deipair
turned back, and run away, their Enemies fiercely pur-
fuing with Slaughter and Spoil, then the Priefls,- coming
between, have flayed the Murder, and parted both jke
Hofts: So that Peace hath been naade and concluded
between both Parties, upon equal and indifferent Condi¬
tions. For there was never any Nation fo fierce, i©
cruel, and rude, but they had them in fuch Reverence,
that they counted their Bodies hallowed and fanctmed,
and therefore not to be violently and unrevcrenily

They keep holy the firft and laft Day of every Month
and Year, dividing the Year into Months, which they
mfiafure by the Courfe of the Moon, as they do the Year
by the Courfe cf the Sun. The firft Days they call in
their Language CinimerneS) and the lait I apermernes . Ihg
•which Words may be interpreted, PrimifeJ. i, and Fimfe/ti
or elfe in our Speech, Firft Feajl and Lafi Feajl. Their
Churches be very gorgeous, not only of fine and cu¬
rious Workmanlhip, but alfo (which in the tewnels or
them was neceflary) very wide and large, ana ante to
receive a great Company of People. But tney be aL
fomewhat dark. Howbeit, that was not done through
Ignorance in Building, but, as they fay, by the Counlex
of the Priefts : Becauie they thought that overmuch Light
doth difperfe Mens Cogitations, whereas in dim and
doubtful Light they be gathered together, and more
earneftly fixed upon Religion and Devotion : W men,
becauie it is not there of one Sort among all -y
yet all the Kinds and Fafhions of ir, tho’ they be Sundry
and manifold, agree together in the Honour ot^Dmqe

« 8 the C ommon-W sal tf

Nature, as going divers Ways to one End : Therefore
nothing is feen or heard in the Churches, but what
leemeth to agree indifferently with them all. If there
be a d lit i net Kind of Sacrifice peculiar to any feveral
set, tnac they execute at home in their own Houles.
1 ne common Sacrifices be fo ordered, that they be no
Derogation nor Prejudice to any of the private Sacrifices
and Religions. Therefore no Image of any God is
feen in the Church, to the Intent it may be free forever/
Man to conceive God by his Religion after what Like-
nefs and Similitude he will. They call upon no pecu¬
liar Name of God, but only Mythra. In the which
Word they all agree together in one Nature of the Di¬
vine Majefty, whatfoever it be. No Prayers be ufed
but fuch as every Man may boldly pronounce, without
the offending of any Sect. They come therefore to the
Church tire laft Day of every Month and Year in the
Evening, yet falling, there to give Thanks to GOD for
that they have profperoufly palled over the Year or
Month whereof that Holiday is the laft Day.

The next Day they come to the Church early in the
Morning, to pray to God that they may have good For¬
tune and Succefs all the new Year or Month which they
do ufe to begin on that fame Holiday.

But in the Holidays that be the laft Days of the
Months and Years, before they come to the Church,
the Wives fall down proftrate before their Husbands
Feet at home,^ and the Children before the Feet of their
Parents, confelfing and acknowledging themfelves Of¬
fenders, either by fqme actual Deed, or by Omiffion of
their Duty, and defire Pardon for their Offence. Thus,
if any Cloud of pri vy Difpleafure was rifen at home, by
this Satisfaction it is over-blown, that they may be pre-
fent at the Sacrifices with pure and charitable Minds.
For they be afraid to come there with troubled Con¬
fidences. Therefore, if they know themfelves to bear
any Hatred or Grudge towards any Man, they prefume
not to come to the Sacrifices, before they have recon¬
ciled themielves, and purged their Conferences, for

Fear

^UTOPIA. “9

Fear of great Vengeance and Punilhment for their Oi>

fc°When they be eome thither, the Men go into the
tight Side ot the Church, and the Women into the ,ert
Side. There they place themfelves in ludi urur ma.
all they which be of the male Kind m every Houlho a,
lit before the Good-man of the Houle, and weyotrae

female Kind before the Good- w lie. ™ ,1 ‘ 1 1

feen, that all their Geftures and Behaviours, d. marked
and obferved abroad of them, by whore AutLoi ny <d
Difcipline they be -governed at home, ih.c alio tn -;
diligently fee unto, that the Younger evermore be
coupled with his Elder, left Children being fomed to¬
gether, they Ihould pafs over the Time in chiidiu. y an-
tonnefs, wherein they ought principally

religious and devout tear towaids , ^hw

chief and almoft the only Inanition to \ irtue. They
kill no living Beaft in Sacrifice, nor tney think not im
the merciful Clemency of GOD doth dwell in Blood
and Slaughter, which hath given Life to Beads, ^ro tho
Intent they ihould live. They burn Frankincemc, and
other fweet Savours, and light alfo a great Number Or
Wax-candles and Tapers, not fuppofing this Geai to uc
any thing available to the Divine Nature, as neither me
Prayers of Men. But this unhurtful and hamueis Kind
of W'orlhip pleafeth them. And by the tweet Savoais
and Lights, and other fuch Ceremonies, Men feel
themfelves fecretly lifted up, and encourage' to y - « o
tion with more willing and fervent Hearts, fhe People
weareth in the Church white Apparel. Toe Pne.i is
cloathed in changeable Colours, which m \\ orkman-
fhip be excellent, but in Stuff net very precious . or
their Veftments be neither imbroidered with Go id, nor
fee with precious Stones : But they be wrought io nne.y
and cunningly with divers Feathers ol howls, mat me
Eftimation of no earthly Stuff is able to countervail ms
Price of the W ork. F urthermore, in thefe Bir d s c ea-
thers, and in the due Order of them, which is observed

in the Setting, they fay, is contained certain divine

ml J J q Myfteues,

120 c ° M M o ;NT - w E A L T H

Myfteties, the Interpretation whereof known, is di¬
ligently taught by the Priefts. They be put in Re-
munjiance ox the bountiful Benefits of God towards
t ion, and of the Love and Honour which on their Be-
li-ui is due to God , and alfo of their Duties one toward

n hen the Pried hrll cometh out of the Veftry, thus
appaie led, they fall down incontinently every one re¬
verently to the Ground, with fo Hill Silence, that the
very Falhton of the Thing ftriketh into them a certain

v,e'tr ° as cho’ he were there perfonally prefent.

^ien they have laid a little Space on the Ground, the
i i icit giveth them a Sign to rife. Then they fing Praifes
:n;° <JOCl’ which tney intermix with Inftruments of Mu-

iCK ’ r"e.m°ft of their other Fafhions than thefe that
are ufed in this Part of the World. And like as feme of
ours be much fweeter than theirs, fo fome of theirs do
iai pals ours. But in one Thing doubtlefs they go ex¬
ceeding far beyond us : For all their Mufick, both that
tney piay upon Inftruments and that they fing with Man’s
, ^ refemble and exprefs natural Affections,

£. e °u.nd arK! * Llne 's applied and made agreeable to
t rV-i iIn~ 1 chat whether it be a Prayer or elle a Durv
o ^ jrladncfs5 ot Patience, of Trouble, ot Mourning, or

Of Anger j the Faihion of the Melody doth fo reprefent
the Meaning of the Thing, that ic'doth wonderfully
ino.c, ftir, pierce, and enflame the Hearers Minds.
At tiie laft, the People and the Prieft together, rehearle
lolemn Prayers in \\rords, exprefiy pronounced, fomade
that every one may privately apply to himfelf that which
is commonly fpoken of all.'

In thefe Prayers every Man recognifeth, and acknow¬
ledge th God to be his Maker, his Governor, and the
principal Caufe of all other Goodnels, thanking him for
io many Benefits received at his Hands. But namely
that thro the Favour of God he hath been placed in that
Pubiick Weal, which is molt happy and wealthy, and
liath chofen that Religion which he hopeth to be molt
true. In the which Thing if he do any thing err, or if

there

$ A N, « ,0v r ‘ VT V

of U T O P I

121

there be any other better than ei her oi them is, ;
more acceptable to God, he delireth him that he wiil ot
his Goodnels let him have Knowledge thereo., a> one
thac is ready to follow what Way foever he wnl lead
him. But if this Form and Fafhion ot a common¬
wealth be belt, and his own Religion nioft true and
perfed, then he delireth God to give him a conitant
Stedfaftnefs in the fame, and to bring all other , eople
to the fame Order of Living, and to the fame Opinio
of God, unlefs there be^ any thing that in this Diveihty
ot Religions doth delight his unfearch^bie > lcamtc.
To be ihort, he pray eth Him that after his Death he may
come to Him : But how foon or late that he dare not air
fign nor determine. Howbeit, it it might ft an a •vim
His Majefty’s Pleafure, he would be much gladder to
die a painful Death, and fo to go to GO D, tnan^by
long living in worldly Prolperity to be away lrom mini.
When this Prayer is laid, they tall dow n to the Ground,
again, and a little after they rife up and go to .Dinnci .
And the Reiidee of the Day they pafs over in Plays and
Exercife of Chivalry.

Now 1 have declared and preferibed unto you, as
tr uly as I could, the Form and Order of that Common-
Wealth, which, verily, in my Judgment is not only the
belt, but alfo that which alone of good Right may claim
and take upon it the Name of a Common- VY yairh, cr
Publick Weal. For in other Places they fpeak ftiil of
a Common-Wealth ; but every Man procure th his
own private Gain: Here, where nothing is private, the
common Affairs be earnestly looked upon. And truly
on both Parts they have good Cauie fo to do. . For in
other Countries who knoweth not but he fliail flan

V

VUJV1 w a. - -

for Hanger, unlefs he make feme feveral Provilion for
himfelf, tho5 the Common-Wealth flourifh never io niuch

of v

erv

an to the

- j -

in Riches? And therefore he is compelled even
Necefiity to have Regard to himfelf, rather tht
People, that is to fay, to others.

Contrary- wife, there where all Things be common to
every Man, it is not to be doubted that any Man brail

* lack

.

Wm

««Co,»0».Wtiir

~ ?fes> r? A“ *

*“ is there 4 poor ft ^ -i-

Man hath any thing, yet everv - ,And t110 no

can be more rich than to ]k,k y? 15 Ych' For what

out all Grief and Penilvenefs • ^or’ merril>’> with~
Livmg, nor vexed or troubled with^Wk- ^ °Wn

ttmate Complaints, nor dreading Povenv mK. I >“**
borrow for his Daughter’* r»4 crt> toh’.sSon, nor

no Care stall for thlS,l “TS ,!«>, take
and all Theirs', and their \Vivel 4!c °f /temfelves
.nephews, their Childrens Children Tnd a' Oh? n ‘4
fen chat ever Hull follow i„ thcir kferin 4
behaes this, there is no lefs Provid e,'- “y‘ A a yet
once Labourers, and be now vk y nem that were

Or them that do now khonl , th»

would [ fee, if any Man d-v. j~ , T 4 biere now

With this Equity the Jullice of other \Yio„‘° T*™

*5 i «» c‘r tX; of S

y, ; y-. JCuce. For what Tuffice is rhk ,-w - ,

Gold-linith, or an Ufurer r! 4, X ti 5 that a 1Ich
which either do nothin^ at alY n an^ °* tIlein>

do is fneh that it ”*kh ■%

We-lrh Otcalri u , 4.,KLClWT t0 the Common-

cVhe-^v' r'\U V aVe« a PIea5ant and a wealthy Living

unnecellary Bnlinefs ; Lhen S

Carpenters, l’lof Iwrren bTfo C““rS’ I,ron-("”ths,
Toil as drawina^nd u 5 • ^ J° Srea!: and continual
? a ? d!_awing and bearing Beads be fcarce able rn

Common w3?n f° ne^Y Toil, that without it no
Yea ■- ' ' Ihou^d" "ct f ^ T° \°conanue and endure one'

/"I Life that tbf’sSe and

■ oo.iv.Kion of a labouring Beall mav feem much here

i-uiWpm Mr rOI-Chey be not Put co fo continual La-
;V ^o'^neir Living is not much worfe: yea, to them

ktyS!Kr’ ttklnS no Thought in the mean Seafon

v.; ;; ; ;“;t “ “4 J* ** % p®« wmd*, u

t T‘*v P1'"u't c 101 rented with barren and unfruitful La-

* ♦* « /

hour

of UTOPIA. 123

bour 3 and the Remembrance o£ tneii poor, indigentj
and beggarly old Age killeth them quite. F01 tneii daily
YVag-es is fo' little, that it will not fuffice for the fame
Day’ much lefs yieldeth it any Overplus, that may daily

be laid uo for the Relief ot old Age.

Is not this an unjuft and an unkind Publick Weal,
•which giveth great Fees and Rewards to Gentlemen, as
they call them, and to Gold-iim tli s, and to 1 uch others,
which be either idle Perlons, or eife only Flatterers, and
Devifers of vain Pleafures ; and, on the contrary Partp
maketh no gentle Provifion for poor Plough-men, Col¬
liers, Labourers, Iron-fmiths, and Carpenters, without
whom no Common-Wealth can continue? But after it
hath abufed the Labourers of their lufty and fiourifning
Age, at the laft, when they be opprefled with old Age
and Sicknefs, being needy, poor, and indigent of all
Things, then, forgetting their fo many paintul Watch¬
ings, "not remembring their fornany and fo great Bene¬
fits, recompenceth and acquitteth them moft unkindly,
with miferable Death. And yet, befides this, the rich
Men, not only by private Fraud, but alfo by common
Laws, do every Day pluck and fnatch away from the
Poor fomePart of their daily Living. So, whereas it
leemed before unjuft to recompence with Unkindnefs
their Pains, that they have been beneficial to the Com¬
mon-Weal, now they have to their wrong and unjuft
Dealing (which is yet a much worfe Point) given the
Name of Juftice, yea, and that by Force of a. Law.,
Therefore, when I confider and weigh in my Mind all
thefe Common- Wealths which now-a-days any where
do flourifh fo, GOD help me, I can perceive nothing
but a certain Confpiracy of rich Men procuring their
own Commodities, under the Name and Tide of die
Common-Wealth. They invent and devife all Means
and Crafts, firft how to keep fafely, without Fear of
lofing that they have unjuftly gathered together ; and
next, how to hire and abufe the Work and Labour ot
the Poor for as little Money as may be. Thefe Devices
which the rich Men have decreed to be kept and obferved,

under

124

2 hi Common- W* e a l t h

under Colour of the Commonalty, that is to fay, made
Laws by thofe that represent the poor People. But thefe

unffr-Uhl°UAand Wlckcd Men» when they have, by their
tWeTr Covf°«hiels , divided among themfelves al!
f , Things which would have fufficed all Men how
far be they from the Wealth and Felicity of the Utctmn
Condon-Wealthy Out of the which, inWt

and h ,f7’ ,Wlch the L!fe thereof, is utterly fecluded
^abamlhed, how great a Heap of Cares is cut away >

. . It ereat an Occaiion ofWickednefs arid Mifchief is

F?aud TMr RC °p? Fy Wh° knoweth not, that
StH h rh J-3 Rrhn’ Braw!mg, Quarrelling, Babliny,
fn7 5 a ?nlS’ f°?tentlon’ Murder, Treafon, Poifon-
thfn rrf ldl 7 1ai J Pumfhments are rather revenged
■ 1 £ do die when Money dieth ? And alfo,

Sridf ’ GnC ’ C/ie’ Labours> and Etchings, do
penln even the very fame Moment that Money perllheth?

?f M P°Verty K el1’ wblch only deemed to lack Money,

/Jl°aeyA ZCrl g0ne’ 1C alfo would d<*reafe a"d vaniih
away. And that you may perceive this more plainly

conhder with yourfelves feme barren and unfruitful

If ear, wherein many thoufands of People have ftarved

I Pr Hunger i I bare be bold to fay, that in the End of

that Penury fo much Corn or Grain might have been

found in rich Mens Barns, if they had been fearched, as,

being divided among them whom Famine and Peitilence

then conf ined, no Man at all ihouid have felt that

Plague and Penury. So eafily might Men get their

Laving, if that lame worthy Princefs Lady Money did

not alone flop up the Way between us and our Living

I whi ce, in God’s Name, v/as very excellently deviled

sfand ravenced5 chat by her the Wav thereto ihouid be
opened. J am fure, the rich Men perceive this, nor they
|be not ignorant how much better it were to lack no ne-
ceilary filing than to abound with overmuch Superflui¬
ty j to oe rid out of innumerable Cares and Troubles
than to be befieged and incumbered with great Riches. *
And I doubt not, that either the Refpe£t of every
Man’s private Commodity, or elfe the Authority of our

Saviour

of UTOPIA. Its

Saviour G?riji (which for his great Wifdoirf could not
but know' what was belt, and lor his ineftimable Good-
nefs could not but counlel to that which he knew to be
the bell) would have brought ail the v\ os Id long ago
into the Laws of this Weal Publick, if it were not the
one only worft, the Princefs and Mother of all Mifchief,
Pride, that doth withftand and let it. She meafureth
not Wealth and Profperity by her own Commodities,
but by the Mifery aud Incommodities of others: She
would not by her good Will be made a Goddefs, if
there were no Wretches left, over whom lire might,
like a fcornful Lady, rule and triumph, over whole Mi-
feries her Felicity might Ihine, whole Poverty Ihe might
vex, torment, and increafe, by rigouroully letting forth
her Riches. This Hell-hound creepeth into Mens Hearts,
and pull'eth them back from entering the right Path of
Life, and is fo deeply rooted in Mens Breads, that lhe
cannot be pulled out.

This Form and Falhion of a Weal Publick, which
I would gladly wilh unto all Nations, I am glad that it
chanced to the Utopians , which have followed thcfe In-
ftitutions of Life, w hereby they have laid fuch Founda¬
tions of their Common- Wealth, as lhall continue and
laft not only wealthy, but alfo, as far as Man’s Wit may
judge and conjecture, fhall endure for ever. For feeing
the chief Caufes of Ambition and Sedition, with other
Vices, be plucked up by the Roots, and abandoned at
home, there can be no Jeopardy of domeilical Dillention,
which alone hath call under Foot and brought to nought
the well-fortified and ftrongly defenced Wealth and
Riches of many Cities. But forafmuch as perfect Con¬
cord remaineth, and wholfome Laws be executed at
home, the Envy of all foreign Princes be not able to
fliake or move the Empire, tho’ they have many times
and long ago gone about to do it, being evermore
driven back. • |

Thus when Raphael had made an End of his Tale,
tho’ many Things came to my Mind, which in the Man¬
ners and Laws of that People, feemed to be inftituted

and

fthc Co rr O N - W E A t T H

and founded of no goodReafon, but only in the Faftiiog

,C/J.e;r L'llvaIr>> and m their Sacrifices, and Relie-ions
and m others ol their Laws ; but alio, yea and chiefly’

m that whicn is the principal Foundation of all their Or-
lnanve^,; that is to fay, in the Commonalty of their

lie and Living, without any Occupying of Money, by
tne which Thing only all Nobility, Magnificence, Wor-
up, Lon our, and Majefty, the true Ornaments and
Honours (as the common Opinion is) of a Common-
v\ ealth, utterly be overthrown and deltroyed ; yet, be-
caufe I knew that he was weary of talking, and was not
luie wnether he could abide that any thing fhould be
I laid againit his Mind, fpecially remembring that he had
* reprehended this Fault in others, which be afraid left
they mould, feern not to be wife enough unlefs they
(could find fome fault in other Mens Inventions , there¬
fore I, praillng both their Initiations and his Commu¬
nication, took him by the Hand, and led him in to
Supper, faying, that we would chufe another Time to
weigh and examine the fame Matters, and to talk with

him more at large therein. Which, would God, it might
once coine to pafs. ° '

' In- the mean time, as I cannot agree and content to
all Things that hefaid, being elfe without Doubt a Man
Angularly well learned, and alfo in all worldly Matter
exactly and profoundly experienced ; fo mult I need*
confefs and grant, that many Things be in the Utopian
Weal Publick, which in our Cities I may rather wilh
for, than hope after.

Note, Page $ 2, in the 10th Line from the Bottom, to read
Crajfus for Crocfus.

‘

‘

.

I

MM

•« ft * •,

r , ■ **?. h

s *» • it . . .

.xv

r w *

v

• >